It Just Takes a Smile
by DomYang
Summary: Growing up, everyone has to at some point in their lives; and for the resident loner of Sobu High, his time has come as well. A small change and a gentle nudge during the break between his second and third year will force one Hachiman Hikigaya to finally 'grow up.' (OOC)
1. Chapter 1

"Yo." - Person Talking

"_Yo_." - Person Thinking

**Hey, Dom here bringing you something new. Been a real long time, and will probably be next time you see me; life is finally here for real and with it goes my will to write. Don't really know when it will pick back up, but will probably be years before I get a handle on things ya know. So yeah, regular updates are gonna be long, long gone; I'll probably just write and post random chapters here and there, but for all intents and purposes, I'll be MIA essentially for the coming years while I face the world of adults head on. So yeah, hiatus are going to be happening with my stories and that'll be that, unfortunately but still want to post what I drabble here and there. Well, let's a go.**

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"Ha... Only a few more days left, then my peaceful and relaxing paradise will come to an end..."

Those words left the mouth of a young man with a head of unkept raven hair, his seemingly dead and fish-like eyes impossibly seeming to grow even more despondent and empty as his words echoed though his mind. Currently, Hachiman Hikigaya laid idly on his bed, contemplating the coming days and reviewing the vast accomplishments that were made with his own hands over the course of his summer vacation.

"_Though... Besides getting a part time job and saving a surprising amount, my accomplishments are limited to Vita-chan... I don't even think I've seen anyone from Sobu during break, not even Yukinoshita or Yuigahama have attempted to reach out..._" Hachiman thought in a slightly somber manner as he stetched his slightly taut muscles, getting up and moving to the bathroom as he let his mind drift back a few weeks to the last day of his life as a second year.

(Flashback - A Few Weeks Ago)

(Scene Change - Sobu High: Service Clubroom)

"Haa! I'm so excited, it's finally break!" Yui Yuigahama exclaimed in a relieved and energetic tone, a bright grin on her face as hugged the arm she was latched onto in a happy manner.

"Y-Yuigahama-san! I understand that you are excited for break, but please don't hug my arm so tightly!" Yukino Yukinoshita admonished the peach headed girl in a tone that lacked any traces of heat, a small but warm smile gracing her features as Yui merely giggled in turn.

"Ah! Before we all go, we should all do something over break, just the three of us!" Yui chirped as she released Yukino and secured her phone, swiftly opening its calendar app and scanning it for all openings.

"I'll have to pass on that, Yuigahama." Hachiman quipped as he closed the book that had attention for the past hour, drawing looks from his club mates as they silently awaited him to continue.

"What?" He questioned them in a slightly flustered manner, a tinge of pink on his cheeks at their silent and attentive gazes.

"Mou! What do you have planned then Hikki! You can spare one day for us, can't you?" Yui asked with a powerful pout on her face, Hachiman wincing as he felt a notable crack form in his mental defenses.

"Ara, Yuigahama-san; you should already know that, that thing is merely trying to avoid seeing us outside of school during our break. If I were to guess, he will no doubt be holed up in his room pleasuring himself with one of those vulgar romance games or novels to delude himself that he is not alone whilst poor Komachi-san slaves away doing his laundry and cooking his meals. Alas, the life of a sister of such a creature truly is a harsh existence." Yukino explained in a sure and solemn tone, dramatically placing the back of her hand against her forehead as Hachiman's brow twitched at the explaination.

"Yukinon! That's not true!" Yui suddenly spoke as she rose to the defense of the accused young man, Hachiman seeing angel wings and a halo appear on the form of the pinkette.

"Hikki will have to get up and go use the bathroom by himself!" Yui added with determined and shining eyes as Hachiman felt a bit of his heart chip, Yukino staring at her for a few seconds before a demure giggle left her mouth.

"Ah, but of course, how could I forget his need to use the restroom. The only act of physical exertion besides those of his hands and fingers on his novels and consoles." Yukino said in a smiling tone, the atmosphere shifting as the two giggled at the expense of the sole male in the room.

"But, are you sure that you are unable to make time during the break, Hikigaya-kun?" Yukino suddenly asked in a soft and hopeful tone, Hachiman's pitiful anger melting when he took note of her tone and expression.

"Yeah, apparently my family is planning something for the break... Sorry..." He replied in regretful tone, drawing soft and understanding smiles from his two club mates.

"That's fine, Hikki. We'll just have to make it up when we all get back!" Yui said in a sure and bright tone, drawing a tiny smile from the raven haired young man as the pinkette and raven haired young lady before him flushed a bit seeing it.

"Yeah, let's do that then. And we still have our phones." He answered as he packed his book away, Yui and Yukino following with packing their own belongings before closing down the room for the summer.

"Well, I guess I'll see you two in a few weeks." Hachiman said as they stopped at the school gate, Yukino and Yui nodding a bit softly as they exchanged glances with each other.

"Mmm, I guess so. I'll do my best not to bother you during break, Hikki, so don't forget about me, ok?" Yui told him in a sure tone, though it turned sad and slightly desperate as Hachiman merely blinked at her.

"Idiot, we'll only be away from each other for a few weeks. Like I could forget you two, especially after all we've been through." He told the pair in a genuine tone, a small smirk marring his face as the two blinked and flushed when they saw his amused expression.

"H-Hmph! L-Let's get going, Yuigahama-san! Apparently Hikirotten-kun finds it amusing to toy with the delicate feelings of young maidens!" Yukino spat out in an attempt to mask her embarrassment, Yui blinking before laughing wryly at her poor cover up.

"A-Alright then, bye bye Hikki! See you!" Yui called out as she waved at him in her usual cute manner, Hachiman watching before offering the departing duo a small wave of his own.

"Yeah, see you. Stay safe." He called out to them, raising his voice an octave to ensure that it was received by the pair.

With that the two jumped slightly, due to the fact he had gone the extra mile to ensure that they heard him, before they turned and watched the form of the raven haired young man growing smaller with fond eyes. Continuing to watch, they soon carried on their own way when he vanished from their view.

(Flashback - End)

(Scene Change - Hikigaya Household: Hachiman's Room)

"Though, it's not like they're obligated to keep tabs on me. Oh well." Hachiman mused as he got out of the shower, ruffling his raven locks to rid it as best he could of the water that still clung to it.

After entering his room, he headed to get changed for the day before moving to the door, pausing and grabbing a small black case that sat on his desk along with his wallet. Making sure that his bed was made, something the Hachiman of old would condemn him for even caring about let alone doing, he closed the door before heading down stairs, sparing a glance to the closed doors that belong to his parents and sister.

In regards to his family, Hachiman was truthful that they were planning a family retreat for the four of them. However, being the hardworking and slightly stressed parents that they were, Hakuto and Kanami Hikigaya had forgotten to purchase tickets for the cruise that they were excitedly awaiting to board until the night before, and to their horror only were able to secure three tickets.

Seeing that it was his fault for failing to prepare, Hakuto offered to stay while the others enjoy the cruise. Unfortunately, Kanami was equally as adamant that he go while she stayed, stating that she was just at fault for forgetting to set a reminder to purchase the tickets. In the end, however, Hachiman, being the responsible and able older sibling he was, told his family that they should all just enjoy their vacation. When questioned, he merely stated that he would be doing exactly the same thing on the ship that he would be doing at home, reading or sleeping. After a bit more persuasion, nearly breaking when Komachi and his mother utilized their 'puppy-dog eyes', he managed to hold strong and the decision was made and he was left to his own devices for the month that they would be gone.

The first few days were like he expected, lovely and a slice of paradise. But once the fourth day arrived, Hachiman was strangely unfulfilled just sitting alone in his home. It was on the fifth day that he did something that he had promised himself he wouldn't do, the life of a house husband being his ultimate goal in life, and secured himself a part time job at a local bookstore that he frequented. The process was surprisingly simple and easy, the 'help wanted' sign on the front of the shop did help immensely he assumed.

"Heh, looking back it was probably because Aisho-san was used to seeing me shop there that I got the job in the first place." Hachiman said with a tiny smirk on his face, shaking his head as he grabbed his backpack before slinging it over his shoulder.

(Time Skip - Half an Hour Later)

(Scene Change - Aisho's Books and Coffee)

"Yo." Hachiman called out as he opened to door to the quaint and warm shop, the bell of the door drawing the attention of the woman setting the chairs of the cafe.

"Oh, Hachi-chan, good morning! Could you be a dear and help me set the tables?" The woman asked with a smile on her face, Hachiman nodding as he placed his backpack behind the counter while pulling out a pair of glasses from a black case and slipping it on his face.

The woman he was helping with his employer and the owner of the bookstore, Shiori Aisho. A woman in her forties, though he never dared ask her age should the advice of his mother prove to be true, she had a slightly plump figure with a head of brown hair done up in a bun and brown eyes. Wearing a simple light blue blouse and a matching brown skirt and shoes, she had a motherly and warm aura that secured and snagged many a customer when she greeted them.

"Is Jiro-san here yet?" Hachiman asked as he relieved the Shiori of picking up and placing chairs, getting a thankful smile as she turned to dust off the shelves and books.

"You know that husband of mine, always has been late no matter what. Why, have I told you of the time when he was late to our wed-" Shiori started in a joyful tone, trailing off when the sound of the door opening reached their ears.

"Oi, finish that story and there'll be hell to pay." A gruff and irked voice called out, the two turning to see an equally irked man staring hard at them.

The older man staring at them was Shiori's beloved husband, Jiro Aisho, the owner of the cafe that was intertwined with the bookstore. A man in his fifties, he had a head of graying black hair that was cut short, he had black eyes that shone with a no nonsense light. Currently, he had a simple blue button up shirt with the sleeves rolled up, a pair of brown pants and shoes with a beige apron covering his front.

"Oh? And who pray tell would be in trouble, dear? If you're talking about me or Hachi-chan then there really will be trouble." Shiori asked with a syrupy sweet tone, the man grimacing a bit before moving off while muttering.

Giggling at his answer, she quickly moved over towards him before giving him a quick kiss on the cheek, pink flooding his normally stern face while his eyes widened and shone. But he schooled his expression before casting a warning glance towards Hachiman as the young man merely watched the exchange with his usual schooled expression. Seeing that, Jiro nodded in turn before moving to the kitchen to prep for the day. With her husband preparing for the day, Shiori turned to Hachiman and gestured for him to start without her. A nod from the young man greeting her, she smiled before moving to begin her own duties.

(Time Skip - A Few Hours Later)

"Oi, Hikigaya, mind taking this order to that table there? It's the last order for the night." Jiro asked the passing part timer, Hachiman shrugging his shoulders before taking the two trays securely in his hands.

Heading over to the table, he nearly stumbled and dropped the orders when he saw two familiar faces talking and laughing together. His brow twitching a bit in trepidation, he resigned himself and approached the table one Yui Yuigahama and one Yukino Yukinoshita were chatting at. Arriving in a manner of seconds, he caught their attention as they offered him a pair of polite smiles.

"Your orders." He stated in an even and polite tone as he offered the trays to the two, getting a pair of thanks in turn as they stared at him a bit longer then he would have liked.

"Is something the matter?" He asked after a few seconds of awkward silence, his question breaking them from their stares as they flushed heavily when they realized they were staring.

"O-Our apologies! You merely reminded us of someone that we know." Yukino said in a fluster, red beginning to die down to pink as the initial embarrassment faded.

"Mmm! We didn't mean to stare, sorry!" Yui added in an equally flustered tone, Hachiman nodding his head before he excused himself as Jiro was waving him over as he began closing down the cafe.

"So?" The older man asked as Hachiman raised a brow at the question, Jiro chuckling in a good natured manner at his expression.

"One of those two catch your eye?" He added as Hachiman's brow furrowed as he realized what has happened, Jiro smirking at him as the young man sighed in turn.

"Really? That's why you had me bring their trays over, isn't it?" He asked though he knew the answer, the smirk that was growing on Jiro's face being all that he needed to see.

"Heh, can't a man look out for the love life of his lonely and dead-eyed part timer?" The man asked in a sarcastic manner, though his eyes did shone with a bit of truth.

"Ha... It's bad enough I get that from my family, now you too?" Hachiman sighed as Jiro chuckled at his expense, though the narrow eyes of the raven haired youth soon widened when Jiro smirked and pointed towards Shiori who was helping the other employees behind the registers.

"Hey, tell that to Shiori; you think I really wanted to get involved with your love life? I have to admit though, while I couldn't have cared less at the start, after all the work I've put in, I need to see the seeds of my effort bloom." Jiro admitted as Hachiman's eyes widened when the strange happenings that started when he began working started to make sense, Jiro's smirk only growing when he saw the realization appear in the young man's eyes.

"Heh, why else would your new bosses force you to address a your state of dress, appearance and posture? And according to Shiori, she says that you're starting to draw the attention of a few of our regulars, so that's a promising sign." Jiro chuckled in a kind manner as Hachiman's brow twitched a bit in irritation, his look drawing a slightly confused look from the older man.

"So, I was just a little game to help you two pass the time, eh." Hachiman said with a mirthless laugh, getting a startled look and a small frown from the man.

"That's not it at all, Hachiman." Jiro told the young man in an honest tone, his tone startling the part timer from how sincere it was.

"Shiori already told ya, but we weren't able to have kids of our own due to some... complications, so we look at you part timers like your our kids. When you first walked in for this job, you looked like you just wanted something to do to pass the time and keep you busy. It was a lot different from how you looked when you're set on having something at the cafe or looking for a book. I ain't too good with words like Shiori is, but well, you kinda looked lost, like you were looking for somewhere to belong." He started as Hachiman's eyes became a bit somber from the man's words, Jiro studying him a bit before continuing.

"When you started, it was all formalities and even then, they were more distant then anyone would be comfortable with, like you were deliberately putting distance between you and everyone who you talked and worked with. That's why Shiori went ahead and got involved with your social life and making you fix up your hair, clothes and posture. She even got you those glasses after spending hours at the shop since she noticed how you were when people looked at you in the eyes. I know it might not sound sincere or genuine but believe me, Hachiman, we would never do anything to hurt you. We were just looking out for you, and we'll, you know how meddlesome is old folk are." Jiro told the young man in an honest and slightly guilty tone, Hachiman's eyes widening before closing softly with a small smile gracing his features.

"Heh... You guys really are meddlesome, you know that?" He told Jiro in a told that held amusement and warmth, the tone and shine of his eyes drawing an equally large grin to spread across Jiro's face.

"Thanks, you and Shiori-san, for going through the trouble of trying to fix someone as twisted as me." Hachiman whispered in a soft tone, internally cursing himself with how squeaky his voice sounded.

"Ain't no trouble at all my boy, just gotta promise the two of us that you'll still visit, even after your part time job is over." Jiro told Hachiman in a firm and smiling tone, Hachiman chuckling a bit as he returned the older man's grin with a slightly larger smile.

"Yukinon, were you checking out that guy!?" Yui whispered towards her companion in a barely controlled tone of excitement, causing the raven haired beauty beside her to choke slightly on the tea she had ordered.

"W-What are you saying, Yuigahama-san!? I-I was merely surprised that there existed another human being that bore such a strikingly similar appearance to Hikigaya-kun, that's it!" Yukino hissed at Yui in an embarrassed and heated tone, her statement drawing a look of realization to cross the pinkette's eyes as she snapped to see the employee from earlier chatting with the cafe owner.

"Now that you mention it, he kinda did remind me of Hikki. But that's impossible, Yukinon! For starters he was working! The Hikki we know would never work unless it was absolutely necessary!" Yui exclaimed in a sure tone, her words strangely sound as Yukino nodded her head in agreement.

"That is quite true, isn't it? Hikilazy-kun is a sloth-like creature that avoids all means of physical exertion whilst trying to move on through life. Adding onto that, his appearance is much more uncouth and slovenly in terms of character and posture; that employee having a slightly larger build and longer hair whilst also having normal looking eyes in comparison to Hikigaya-kun's eyes which resemble that of the rotting carcass of a fish. Still, it is quite surprising that there would be someone who looks so similar yet different within a train ride's distance." Yukino added as Yui nodded her head in agreement, the two finishing their orders before heading out as they saw the shop beginning to close.

"We should surprise Hikki and bring him here when we see him next week! Komachi-Chan and him haven't texted either of us the entire break, so they must still be with their parents! Though, I wish that tried to contact us. I still feel shy trying to text or call Hikki." Yui admitted with a reddened face, Yukino mirroring it as they exited and headed towards Yukino's apartment.

"Hachi-chan, Jiro! Let's finish closing up shop! I let the others go already, I'm sorry I didn't ask you Hachi-chan but you looked happy talking with my grumpy husband I couldn't bring myself to stop you two. If you want to go, please go right ahead!" Shiori admitted in a slightly guilty tone, Hachiman shaking his head at her in a good natured manner as Jiro chuckled.

"It's no trouble, really. What's an extra ten minutes anyway." Hachiman quipped with a small smile on his face, that smile mirrored and enlarged on the faces of his employers.

Working with speed, accuracy and efficiency; the three were finished with their duties in a manner of minutes. Though, there was an ulterior motive for the store owners to keep Hachiman after the store closed, the two having invited the young man for dinner with them at a nearby restaurant as an impromptu farewell for the soon to be former part timer. With those sentiments, Hachiman would have had to have been the Hachiman of old to decline such pure motivations.

(Scene Change - Chiba: Yatai Family Restaurant)

"Order whatever you want, Hachi-chan, it's the least we can do for all the hard work you've done for us." Shiori said in a fond and proud tone, a sheepish expression crossing Hachiman's face as Jiro grinned at him.

"No need to feel so shy, Hachiman, we do this for everyone who leaves; it's kinda become a farewell celebration for Shiori and me." Jiro said in an effort to ease the young man's nerves, seemingly succeeding as Hachiman left a soft sigh leave his mouth.

"That makes me feel a bit better, it was a bit unnerving if it was a one time thing that showed blantant favoritism towards an exceptional and hard working employee such as me." Hachiman breathed out as Shiori and Jiro chuckled at his self asserting statement, further easing him as they settled into a amiable and warm atmosphere.

(Time Skip - Half an Hour Later)

"Well, guess this is the last time that we'll be seeing you as an employee huh, Hachi-chan?" Shiori asked in a somber and soft tone, Hachiman offering her a small smile as she giggled at his expression drawing a tilt of his head in confusion.

"Keep that smile on your face, Hachiman. I know that you're not one to needlessly smile or act like everything is fine in the world, like those so called 'raijuu' you curse during break, but as long as you can smile like you are now, I know that you'll find happiness in your life." Shiori told him in a sure and warm tone, causing the young man to drop his smile and look down in embarrassment.

"Haha, ain't nothing to be ahshamed of, Hachiman. As long as you keep up that same attitude you had during your time at our shop, you'll have no problem meeting people who you can truly call friends. And who knows, maybe you'll find that special someone while your at it. And when you do, you had better bring her to our shop so we can tell her all about how you used to be a dead-fish looking, pessimistic and grumpy loaf of a man and how we managed to take the loaf outta ya." Jiro added with a deep chuckle, Hachiman snorting a bit before offering the two a smile.

"Yeah, I promise. And thanks, truly thank you both, for all you've done for me. I don't know how I can ever repay either of you for all that you've done for me. But if there's anything I can do, you can just give me a call." Hachiman told the two in a sincere tone of gratitude, the two having warm and fond smiles cross their features as Shiori offered him a hug while Jiro ruffled his hair.

"If you want to repay us, then try and enjoy life to its fullest. You are far too young to be such a cynical and pessimistic person, wait til you're my age before you're lamenting the universe." Jiro said with a chuckle, another snort leaving Hachiman as Shiori giggled in turn.

"While he can be a grumpy lump, Jiro is right, Hachiman. You are far too young to have those thoughts. You told us that you are used to being alone, but we both know that you crave and desire companionship, everyone does. That's why, if you want to repay us, just try and open up just a tiny bit more to those who want to get to know the sweet and extraordinary young man that, that cynical and pessimistic exterior is hiding. I know it was because of our meddling but compared to how you were when we first met to how you are now, you are a completely different person. You are still cynical and pessimistic but you are also smiling and laughing much more then before; keep smiling and laughing and more open and friendly and you'll be fine, my dear." Shiori explained as Hachiman nodded softly, the trio parting as they offered the other a final set of smiles and waves before they moved to part.

"If that's what you're asking for, I'll be honest and say that I don't feel one hundred percent confident that I can pull it off, but I'll give it at least ten percent." Hachiman told the two in a hesitant but honest tone, his answer causing the two to blink before they started laughing.

"Oh, a whole ten percent? That's five percent more then what you offered when you started at our shop! If that was only five percent then I can only imagine what double that effort will be!" Shiori teased as Hachiman flushed slightly, offering them a wry smile as Jiro shook his head.

"That's the spirit, Hachiman. Long as you can joke and smile, that's all we're asking. And remember our shop is always open for you if you need anything." Jiro called out as he wrapped Shiori in his arm, waving one last time as the man received a grin in turn.

With that, the form of Hachiman Hikigaya disappeared into the sea of people as the city's nightlife came to be. Watching him fade away, two sets of fond and warm eyes welled with tears before they were wiped away.

"He really did feel like a part of the family..." Shiori whispered in a soft tone, getting a squeeze in turn as Jiro nodded.

"Yeah, I had always imagined comforting and reassuring our kids like we did for him." He added as Shiori smiles brightly at him, the two heading towards their own home before Shiori felt something on Jiro's back.

Confused, she reached around and pulled a small envelope off of his back as jiro jumped at being stuck with something that might lead them to trouble. Hesitantly, he took it from his beloved wife before slowly opening it. But soon enough, their confused and worried feelings melted to mirth and joy when they saw the photo that laid inside.

"Honestly, that boy is far too cynical for his own good." Shiori lamented with a smile on her face, shaking her head as Jiro chuckled.

"It's not that he's cynical, love, he's just awkwardly shy when it comes to all things concerning affection." Jiro said in a sure tone, drawing a raised brow from his wife.

"And how would you know it's just that, hmm?" She asked in a curious manner, getting a grin in turn as he glanced back at the photo.

"Cause I remember being like that. Being embarrassed over any small thing that had to do with love and affection. It's all part of being a man." Jiro said in a sagely manner, getting a giggle from Shiori as they glanced with fond eyes at the photo of the two of them and Hachiman from when he had finally agreed with have a photo taken as per store tradition.

(Scene Change - Chiba: En Route to the Hikigaya Household)

"Just keep my smile, huh... Ha, looks like it's going to be a hell of a request even for this hardworking and excellent Hachiman." Hachiman said softly in resignation, though the small smile on his face spoke volumes of how he felt inside.

(Time Skip - The Next Day)

(Scene Change - Hikigaya Household)

The sound of a cooking timer could be heard ringing in an increasingly annoying manner as a young man with raven colored hair moved to silence it. Standing in the kitchen of his beloved house, Hachiman was currently getting a small little banquet to celebrate the return of his family members. As for the question that laid on the minds of most, 'Can Hachiman Hikigaya cook?' The answer was a resounding, now he can. Working at a bookstore that was attached to a cafe did mean that he had been asked, coerced, into helping Jiro when it was both slow and busy. With that came the much needed experience points that allowed one Hachiman Hikigaya to level up his culinary skills to a respectable level, cafe and restaurant level if he could be so bold.

"Hmm... Mom likes coconut, Komachi loves caramel and dad prefers coffee; that I know for sure. For the frosting though, that's where it's a problem..." Hachiman mused as he stared at the small cakes that he had prepared in front of him, shrugging as he started to mix together a simple butterscotch syrup.

Grabbing a few sticks of butter, Hachiman began melting it down at medium heat in a saucepan before moving to add the brown sugar, salt and heavy cream. Taking special care while turning up the heat slightly, he began making long scoops in the pot with the rubber spatula in hand, remembering to get the mixture that clung to the sides of the pan. After a few minutes, ensuring that the five minute 'no-go' zone as Jiro dubbed it had not passed, Hachiman quickly removed it from the heat before adding in a few drops of vanilla extract. Once it was properly mixed, he poured it into a small container and set it aside to cool. Whilst the desert was done and cooling, he moved to keep the lunch dishes he made warm; placing them into the cooling oven as he spared a glance at the clock.

"Almost one, huh. They should be home soon." Hachiman quipped as he let a small yawn leave, taking a seat and picking up the book that laid beside him.

Along with being a gift to help ease the sharpness that his eyes possessed, the glasses that Shiori had gotten for him doubled as reading glasses, though their strength was practically zero, they helped ease the glare of the sun and screens of electronics. With those advantages, Hachiman had found himself wearing them as naturally as he would any other article of clothing. His originally short raven locks were now longer and currently tied in a small ponytail to keep it from potentially getting caught during cooking. Apparently his long hair gave him a 'bad boy' look along with his sharp eyes according to the other employees, though the main reason that it was so untamed was that he neglected to get a haircut during the tenure of his break. In addition, he had grown a few inches during the course of the month, a sudden growth spurt forcing Hachiman to update his wardrobe, along with pressure from Shiori and Jiro. Overall, the Hachiman from a month ago was but a fleeting dream, long replaced by the one currently placing the finishing touches on the cakes that he had baked.

"Hmm... Might've boiled it a bit too long, syrup is a bit gooey for my tastes." Hachiman muttered in a slightly irked manner, having gained the heart of a true baker during his time with Jiro.

He was so wrapped up in trying to deconstruct the error of his method that he failed to hear the door to his home open, the simultaneous 'We're home,' having also fallen on deaf ears as his family returned from their cruise.

"Hmm, something smells amazing!" Komachi shouted as a bit of drool began to dribble down the side of her mouth at the tantalizing smell led her towards the kitchen, her feet swiftly moving to see what was the source of such a heavenly aroma only to freeze when she saw a ponytailed young man muttering to himself while looking at a container while a book was held loosely in his left hand.

"Kyaa! Stranger! There's a stranger in the kitchen!" She screamed before running back towards her parents, Hakuto instantly charging through the doors while gathering and releasing the full night of his 'father aura.'

Bursting through the archway, he saw the intruder his daughter had spoken of. About to shout at him, he froze when he felt his father instincts fighting against itself; as of the young man in front of him was no stranger or intruder at all. His confusion being visible to his wife and daughter, who were carefully hiding behind him, they all held their breaths when the stranger turned and made a sound of surprise when he saw them. Then, he unceremoniously raised his free hand in a lazy greeting.

"Yo, you're home. How was the cruise?" He asked in a nonchalant and casual manner, instantly drawing looks of confusion before Komachi's eyes nearly bugged out of their sockets.

"O-O-Onii-Chan!?" She shouted in absolute confusion and disbelief, her realization dawning on her parents as they dropped their jaws at the sight of their eldest.

"Hungry?" Hachiman asked as he removed the dishes that were being stored in the oven, a light rumble leaving the stomach of his sister to her utter mortification and horror.

(Time Skip - Half an Hour Later)

"That was quite the meal, Hachiman. You cooked all of that?" Hakuto asked his eldest in a surprised and curious tone, Hachiman offering him a small smirk as he collected the dishes.

"Yeah, sorry if it wasn't as good as Komachi's or mom's; more used to baking then cooking." Hachiman admitted in a sheepish tone, placing the dishes in the sink as he started washing them to the shock of his family.

"Hachi, are you feeling alright!" Kanami asked in a worried tone, moving to check his temperature as he blinked in turn.

"Ah, right... Must be surprising seeing me act like a productive member of society, eh?" He said with a light laugh, stunning his family even more when it was free of all cynical energy and full of pure amusement.

"W-Who are you and what did you do with my lazy, dead-fish eyed, 'would rather sleep all day then go outside and socialize to be a proper member of society' Gomi-chan!?" Komachi exclaimed as a Hachiman's brow twitched in utter irritation, though he couldn't fault her for her truthful assessment of his character.

"Oi. I don't wanna hear that from my absurdly adorable, cheerful and 'wet her bed until her first year of middle school' imouto. Ah, that must have been worth a ton of Hachiman points." Hachiman quipped with a small smirk on his face, that smirk only growing when the crimson face of Komachi rocketed into view as she tackled him and tried to strangle him.

"Negative points! Negative all of your Hachiman points, stupid Gomi-chan! You promised to never tell anyone that, you promised!" Komachi screamed as she wrapped her thin arms around her brother's neck, desperately and failing to strangle him for breaking the promise that they had sealed with an exchange of candy.

Seeing their eldest so full of life baffled two elder Hikigaya, but once that initial shock ran its course, pride and warmth shone brightly on their faces and in their eyes as they took in everything about their son. How much taller he had gotten, how much deeper his voice was, how he seemed to exude confidence and life that he lacked weeks ago. Seeing all of those changes, they felt that they hadeft their son to grow alone, and that thought stung and hurt them deeply.

"Hachi, do you want to do anything for your last few days of break? We feel awful that we left you alone for most of it." Kanami asked in a guilty tone, Hachiman flinching a bit at how guilty his mother looked before frowning towards her.

"Mom, dad, Komachi." He stared in a firm and stern tone, catching his family off guard at how serious he sounded.

"None of you have anything to feel bad or guilty about. I was the one who volunteered to stay, and if I'm being honest, I'm glad that I did. I know it sounds kinda fake coming from me of all people, but I feel like I've grown up, even if it's just a little bit. I picked up a part time job during the first week and well, I learned a lot of things there. So no need to go out of your way to try and spend time with me, let's just relax and enjoy the rest of our break." Hachiman said with a reddened face, the eyes of his family wide with how open he was with them before they all smiled at his statement.

"Are you sure that you're our Hachiman?" Hakuto asked in a teasing manner, getting an irritated look from his eldest as they laughed at his expense.

With that, his parents headed up to their room to unpack while Komachi rushed to throw her own suitcase into her own room before sprinting to help Hachiman before he finished the dishes. But to her shock and horror, he had already finished washing and drying the used plates, pans and utensils; drying his own hands on a towel as he moved to continue with his book. Seeing her standing in the doorway with a bewildered and lost expression, his 'Onii-chan' instincts flared as he moved towards her with a concerned expression on his face.

"Something bothering you?" He asked in an equally concerned tone, Komachi slowly moving to meet his concerned gaze with a somber and solemn one of her own.

"Hee... Onii-chan really has started growing up, huh... It even seems like Onii-chan doesn't need Komachi to help him anymore..." She whispered in a soft and somber tone, instantly flinching a bit when she saw her brother's gaze harden with the glasses on his face showing how his eyes truly looked when not looking like a dead fish's.

"Oi. Tell me the one who's been telling you those lies." He told her in a stern and slightly intimidating manner, the youngest Hikigaya feeling a strange and foreign feeling of fear enter the pit of her stomach as she shook slightly.

"N-No one, Onii-chan, it was just Komachi saying how she feels inside..." She whispered in a shaky tone, though she felt that fear instantly vanish when the hard look in his eyes disappeared.

"Ha... Did I tell you that I don't need you anymore?" He asked as she flushed a bit and looked down, doing everything to avoid having to face him and look into those eyes that were unveiled by his glasses.

"N-No..." She answered in a meek and embarrassed tone, feeling her body tremble from pure and unfiltered embarrassment.

"Then don't believe those things, alright? I may be a bit more open, but do you honestly think that your Onii-chan, no matter how exceptional or hardworking he is, could be one of those thinking raijuu over the course of a single break?" Hachiman asked Komachi in a mirthful and self-deprecating tone, getting a soft giggle from his sister as she slowly rose her head and shy met his gaze.

"Of course not! My Gomi-chan is a helpless siscon, after all! Komachi will have to give it her all to make sure that all the hard work he did over break doesn't go to waste! Ah, that must have been worth a lot of Komachi points!" Komachi exclaimed in a much lot lively and cheerful manner, her answer drawing a smile from her brother a he chuckled at her.

A bright and warm grin on her face, Komachi instantly latched onto her brother and gave him a long and tight hug. A bit stunned, Hachiman shook his head as he returned it, squeezing her small body as she shivered a bit and snuggled deeper into his embrace. Staying like that for a moment, it was broken when Hachiman released a reluctant Komachi, though her face heated right back up when he pressed his lips to her head and gave her a kiss. Her ears burning red, she quickly excused herself and sprinted towards her room as Hachiman watched with an equal dusting of pink on his face.

"Jiro-san, Shiori-san; this is a lot harder then I expected..." He muttered as embarrassment like no other filled his heart, muttering under his breath as he returned to his book to ease his embarrassed heart.

* * *

**And that's all she wrote for this chapter, don't know if it'll get another update but eh, time will tell. Thanks for reading and stay awesome. **


	2. Chapter 2

"Yo." - Person Talking

"_Yo_." - Person Thinking

**And here is a sudden new chapter. Let's a go. **

* * *

"Onii-chan, what do you think! Tada!" Komachi shouted as one Hachiman Hikigaya laid on his bed, a book held firmly in his hands with the soothing melody of Mozart's masterpieces drifting into his ears with assistance from his headphones.

Hearing a lack of response or even interest, one Komachi Hikigaya stood in the doorway with her newly acquired Sobu High uniform in all of its glory whilst holding herself in a cute pose. But soon enough, her eyes grew distant and empty as all traces of excitement and anxiety were flushed from her person with his lack of attention. Slowly dropping her pose, Komachi stalked over to her older brother when he still failed to notice her after three minutes of her standing idly in his doorway. Each step she took increasing the angry and annoyed pout that marred her face, she soon stood imposingly beside the young man still too engrossed in his book to spare her a glance. Seeing that, Komachi slowly reached over before yanking the book from his grasp, a small twitch of a smile crossing her feature when he flinched in surprise.

"Oi." He deadpanned as he gave her a slightly irritated look, one that Komachi returned full force as he raised a brow in a questioning manner.

"You need something, Komachi?" Hachiman asked in a curious and slightly concerned manner, instantly weakening the poor imouto's defenses upon seeing those concerned eyes.

Komachi was still getting used to seeing a pair of slight slanted hazel eyes gaze back at her from behind the frames of his glasses, a complete contrast to her beloved brother's usual dead-fish like eyes she had seen countless times during their time together growing up. She found once again lost in his soft green-gray orbs, the concern that was so clearly shining in his eyes stealing her breath each time she found herself locking gazes with him. It wasn't until he placed a hand on her forehead that she broke from her trace, crimson coloring her face when she realized what she had just been doing.

"You don't have a fever, you been drinking enough water?" Hachiman asked as Komachi willed herself to not get lost in his eyes, opting to put on her formally angry and annoyed expression as he blinked in confusion.

"Komachi has been drinking plenty of water, Gomi-chan! Even though you have glasses, you still fail to see the most oblivious things!" She snapped at him with a pout, Hachiman furrowing his brow as he scanned her from head to toe before realization crossed his features.

"Ah, your uniform." Hachiman said with surprise evident in his tone, Komachi's expression brightening considerably as she gave a little twirl to show off her uniform.

"Hehe! So, what do you think, Onii-chan! Does it suit Komachi?" The excitable younger Hikigaya asked as Hachiman offered her a small smirk, Komachi smiling brightly as she did a small and cutesy dance in turn.

Seeing her brightened expression, Hachiman nodded before discretely taking back the novel that she snagged earlier. As Komachi continued to dance and prance around his room, Hachiman watched her with a small smirk on his face as he opted to entertain her antics rather then focus on his novel. With the two of them sharing a moment, they found the afternoon had melted into the evening; the voices of their parents soon drawing them downstairs for dinner.

(Time Skip - The Next Day)

"Hmm..." Hachiman groaned as he stretched his taut muscles, lightly shaking the remnants of his sleepiness as a yawn soon followed.

Reluctantly, the raven haired young man found himself forcing himself off of his bed as he started his morning rituals. Heading to the bathroom, Hachiman took a quick shower before brushing his teeth; idly drying off the remaining droplets of water as the sound of the door belonging to his parent's room caught his attention. Turning, he saw the surprised face of his father as Hakuto paused a bit seeing that his eldest was awake at such an hour.

"Hachiman, what are you doing up so early? School doesn't start until for another hour and a half right?" Hakuto asked in a curious tone, Hachiman nodding his head before heading back to the bathroom to spit out the toothpaste and rinse his mouth.

"Mhmm, just used to getting up early for my part time job. Figured I'll try making breakfast and lunch for Komachi and me for a change. You're already heading back to work? Is mom too?" Hachiman said as Hakuto offered him a smile in turn, though he shook his head in the negative at his question.

"No, she still has a few days of vacation left, so she'll be going back next Monday." Hakuto replied as he fixed his tie, Hachiman nodding his head as he walked with his father downstairs.

"Right, see you tonight then." Hachiman said lightly as he saw his father off, locking the door and heading to the kitchen to start on making breakfast and prepping for today's lunch.

(Time Skip - Half an Hour Later)

"Komachi. Komachi, you awake yet?" Hachiman called from outside of his sister's room, rapping on the door a few times as a groan was heard from within.

"I'm coming in." He announced as he opened the door, walking in and promptly letting a sigh leave his person as he saw the tangled mess that was his beloved imouto.

Currently tangled in her bedsheets, Komachi was softly snoring with a content and peaceful expression on her face. As he walked closer, Hachiman flinched as a dusting of pink coated his cheeks when he saw the usual nightwear that she had on was undone in a manner that no cute imouto should be wearing. Her comfy shorts were pulled down slightly and one of his overly large shirts she had claimed was pulled up, showing that she wasn't wearing anything underneath. A sigh leaving his person, Hachiman idly wondering if it was an ill omen to be sighing this early in the morning, he gently shook her as another groan left her mouth.

"It's time to get up, Komachi, breakfast is going to get cold. You don't want to be late on your first day, right?" He asked as he shook her a bit more forcefully, a louder and more irritated groan leaving her as she cracked an eye and glared softly at him.

"It's too early to deal with you, Gomi-chan..." Komachi grumbled as he offered her a pitiless smirk, her morning grouchiness growing progressively larger as he continued to shake her.

Finally, she flailed her arms and legs in a sluggish and defiant manner to stop him from shaking her any further. When that succeeded in stopping his shaking, she stretched her body which had the ill added effect of further pushing her sleepwear off her body, Hachiman instantly turning and heading to the door as a confused and sleepy expression crossed her face. Glancing down, realization dawned on her as she let out a cute squeal and hastily covered herself up as crimson flooded her face. Hearing that, Hachiman vacated the room as the lid on Komachi's embarrassment was about to blow, sighing once more as a muffled scream of indignation and embarrassment resounded after the door closed.

(Time Skip - Twenty Minutes Later)

"...You still mad at me...?" Hachiman asked in a slightly flustered manner, wincing at the dry look that he received in turn.

"Negative Komachi points." Komachi said in a bland and dead manner, doing her best to ignore the surprisingly delicious breakfast he had made for her.

Spending a few more minutes of eating in silence, the duo finished their breakfast after which Hachiman collected their dishes as Komachi left the table to get ensure that her outfit was perfect. While she was placing the finishing touches on herself, Hachiman quickly wrapped his mother's breakfast while leaving a note for her on the microwave. Moving to the counter, he grabbed their bento and made his way to the front door, which a slightly more lively Komachi could be seen.

"Ready to go?" He asked her to which she huffed in turn, Hachiman comforting his aching heart as she briskly walked out of the house.

Without waiting for him, she took his beloved and surprisingly unused 'Dullahan' and sped away towards her high school debut. Watching her leave, he let another sigh leave before fixing his glasses and locking the door, securing his backpack and the set of bento before leisurely making his way towards the stronghold that was Sobu High. Pulling out his phone, he saw that he still had half an hour before first bell. With that knowledge, he carried on his way, ignorant of the various looks that were being cast his way.

(Time Skip - Twenty Five Minutes Later)

(Scene Change - Sobu High: Front Gate)

Arriving with time to spare, though he knew that tardiness on the first day was always less important and rarely punished due to students getting adjusted to their new classes, he walked towards the class listing and scanned for his name. A few seconds later he found that his new domain was in a certain 'Class 3-I.' Not bothering to see if anyone he knew was in his new class, doubting that fate would allow Yuigahama to be in the same class once more or by some crazy circumstance that Yukinoshita was moved out of the 'International Course' class, he trudged towards his new class with no small amount of trepidation.

(Scene Change - Sobu High: Class 3-I)

Arriving in the classroom, Hachiman gazesd around and saw that cliques and groups were already being made. Glancing towards the board, he saw that a seating chart was posted on it. Strolling over, he gave it a quick scan before mentally nodding in approval that he was seated by the window, though it was a bit inconvenient to be flanked on the remaining three sides not showing freedom through a transparent panel.

Heading over to his seat, he activated his 'Loner's Aura' and let his anti-social mood manifest itself in full. Pulling out a book he indulged himself as he awaited the arrival of their new homeroom teacher, who Hachiman was just as ignorant of as his new classmates. Soon enough the soft chatter of the class had grown to a slightly irritating volume, Hachiman letting a mental sigh leave as he tried to drown them out.

"Who is that?"

"I dunno, never seen him before, have you!"

"He looks sorta familiar though, don't you think?"

"I think I've seen him in the shopping district."

"He reminds me of that one guy from last year, Hikitoki or something."

Hearing the various idiotic comments fluttering about, another mental sigh passed through the mind of Hachiman. While he knew that there would be a few comments here and there, he wasn't accustomed to being the center of attention like some side show at the circus. Those comments and the stares that accompanied them starting to wear on his spirit, he was relieved them the class quieter and scrambled for their seats, the raven haired youth offering a silent thanks to his new teacher as he moved to put his book away. Halfway from placing it back in his bag, he froze when he saw the familiar attractive form of one Shizuka Hiratsuka, a bright grin on her face as she scanned the faces of her new students, though she paused slightly when she locked onto him. His breath hitching, he felt his world crumble when her perplexed expression melted into a predatory one, an unsettling glint in her eyes as she moved to address the class.

"Alright class, let's take it nice and easy today and start off with a simple class introduction! We'll go around and introduce ourselves and say a little something, something about us! I'll go ahead and start! I'll be your homeroom teacher, Shizuka Hiratsuka and as for something about me... Don't mention anything about my age and we'll all get along perfectly!" Shizuka chirped in a cheerful manner, though an ominous aura shrouded her during the latter part of her introduction to the fear and horror of her students.

With the conclusion of her introduction, her smile was aimed solely at one Hachiman Hikigaya as the youth in question visibly gulped at her gleaming eyes. Soon enough, his classmates were taking turns introducing themselves to the class, their names entering and promptly fading from the kind of the ravenette. That is, until it came his turn to introduce himself. Instantly, almost all eyes were on his person as he sighed in turn, grumbling a bit as he rose from his seat.

"Yo. My name is Hachiman Hikigaya. I hope we get along." Hachiman stated in a quick manner, completely glossing over the 'interesting fact' he was supposed to share with his classmates as Shizuka sighed at him.

"Hikigaya, Hikigaya... Even if you managed to change a surprising amount on the outside, you're still so rotten on the inside..." Shizuka muttered under her breath, though the smile that crosses her face could only be described as radiant and excitable.

Seeing that Hiratsuka didn't force him to amend his introduction, he took that as a sign that he had successfully cleared the first hurdle of his new school life. Taking a seat, he once again tuned out the other introductions of his classmates, his mind drifting to how to approach his precious imouto after their debacle when they were leaving the house earlier. Whilst in his own thoughts, he was also entirely ignorant of the stunned stares that were currently piercing him from behind.

Within a few more minutes, the class introductions were finished, Hiratsuka opting to have a free period for the rest of the class for her students to met one another. Though, her attention was completely locked onto the form of Hachiman as he was engrossed in the book held in his hand. Seeing him completely disinterested in his peers brought a weary sigh to leave her mouth, though that changed when she saw a familiar silver haired ponytailed girl quickly head towards him.

"...Hey..." One Saki Kawasaki muttered with a flushed expression, doing her best to avoid making the scene more awkward then it needed to be.

When she was met with silence, she rose her face to the sight of the young man she was trying to get the attention of ignoring her. Her brow twitching a bit, Saki quickly lost her charmingly shy expression as her usual grumpy and rough scowl returned with full force. Waiting a few more seconds with no signs of being noticed by the reading ravenette, Saki's patience finally ran its course as she tapped him on the shoulder, seeing him flinch a bit before he turned to face her. Instantly, she lost her scowl when she saw that in place of the usual pair of dead-fish like eyes she had grown strangely fond of, a pair of curious and confused slightly slanted hazel orbs were instead gazing at her.

"Kawasaki?" Hachiman said in a surprised tone, bringing the attention of the silverette back from his eyes.

"O-Oh, u-uhh... I-It's nice that you're in my class this year too... I-I mean, it's nice that I know someone that I knew last year in class, someone that I know I can rely on, you know! Umm, I meant to say, i-it's good to see you again, Hikigaya!" Saki stammered in an uncharacteristically cute manner, Hachiman slowly inclining his head while returning the sentiment as Saki began screaming internally at what she was saying.

"_What the hell are you saying!? You're talking like you're his girlfriend, someone that he should have been keeping in contact with no matter what!_" Saki shouted at herself while trying to control her flustered expression, Hachiman raising a brow as her flustered state grew in response.

"So... H-How was your break?" Saki asked in an attempt to break the foot thick ice she felt had suddenly formed between them, Hachiman shrugging his shoulders as he put his book away.

"Nothing big happened, picked up a part time job, worked and slept. You?" Hachiman quipped as Saki gained a curious look in her eyes when he mentioned a job, though she shelved her curiosity to sate his.

"Same old, same old. Work, family and studying." Saki replied in a casual tone, seeing him nod as they settled into a slightly awkward silence.

"I noticed that your wearing glasses now, t-they look good on you." Saki finally said after a few more seconds of silence, a deeper dusting of pink as she hoped her compliment wasn't taken the wrong way.

"Uhh, thanks. I got them as a gift from my boss. Helps with keeping my eyes from looking so rotten and with the glare from electronics and the sun." Hachiman explained as Saki smiled a bit, the two falling into an amiable and light set of conversation as Hiratsuka smiled softly at the sight.

As the two resident loners sat chatting with one mother, though it was more of single lines being passed back and forth, another set of eyes were watching the pair with a curious gaze. One Yumiko Miura watched the interaction between Saki and Hachiman with a confused glint in her eyes. It was well known to Yumiko and those in their class the year prior that the two she was watching chat were the epitome of the word 'loner.' Sure Hikio chatted with Yui and Yukinoshita from time to time, but other then a greeting here and there, he failed to establish any genuine relationships with anyone outside of his club; though give his rotten personality, that was an entirely different battle in of itself. The same could be said for Kawasaki, the tomboyish and standoffish nature of the ponytailed girl being a strong enough deterrent for any who hoped to be friends with her; though she seemed to soften up slightly after her request was completed.

So, for the two most antisocial peers that she had known to suddenly openly chat with one another, and in an amiable manner she might add, it baffled her. To Yumiko, it seemed completely opposite to way that her clique talked with each other; all of them trying to get their word in as often as possible, though it usually fell into a pattern of one person speaking while the others would throw in their two cents. So seeing the two of them talk so casually and without any pretenses struck a cord in the heart of Yumiko, who's eyes gained a glint of longing as Saki suddenly giggled lightly while Hachiman chuckled softly. She was broken from her thoughts as her new classmates excitedly asked to have lunch with her, Yumiko answering them in the positive as Saki and Hachiman rose as well.

"See ya back in class, Kawasaki, gotta find Komachi for lunch." Hachiman said as he moved to secure the bento he prepared for them, Saki giving him a raised brow as she followed suit with the bento she prepared for Taishi and herself.

"Komachi-chan still making lunch for you?" She asked in a lightly exasperated but curious tone, her curiosity growing a bit more when he shook his head in the negative.

"Nah, trying to raise my Hachiman points with her so I'm taking care of breakfast and lunch. Kinda had a rough morning with her and she ran off before I could give her, her lunch." He explained as Saki nodded, still surprised that the sloth-like man from the year before had changed such an amount.

"I can probably guess you did something messed up, didn't you?" Saki asked with narrow eyes, drawing a tired sigh from the young man to her irritation.

"Just caused my beloved imouto to face the errors of her sleepwear and sleeping habits, that's all." He answered as he headed towards the door, Saki staring at him in a confused manner as she followed eight after him.

"She's in Taishi's class." Saki said when she caught Hachiman staring at her from the corner of his eyes, finally seeing those same dead-fish like eyes she had grown fond of.

"I'll be in your care then." He said as he slowed his pace and followed Saki, a smirk and a light dusting of pink gracing her features as she led them downstairs.

(Scene Change - Sobu High: Class 1-G)

"Stupid Gomi-chan... What is Komachi going to do for lunch..." Komachi muttered as she packed her belonging for break, a smiling group standing beside her as they awaited her to join them for lunch.

"Y-You can share some of my lunch, Komachi-san!" A boy in the group offered with a blush on his face, instantly drawing first blood as the other boys shot him dirty looks including one Taishi Kawasaki.

"W-Wait, Komachi-san! Nee-chan said that she's bringing me my lunch right now, so I-I can split it with you!" Taishi offered in an earnest tone, the stalemate to feed the damsel that was Komachi reaching its peak when the door to their class slid open.

"Ah, Nee-chan!" Taishi said with a bright tone and smile, the other boys of their group flushing a bit when they caught sight of Saki and found her more attractive then they anticipated.

"Onii-chan!?" Komachi called out in a surprised tone, this time the girls of their group turning a tinge pink when they saw him.

"Yo, you forgot your lunch." Hachiman said as he unwrapped the cloth holding their bento together, offering one of them to the stunned Komachi as she numbly took it.

"Here you go, Taishi." Saki said as she gave her younger brother his, the duo bidding a quick farewell before they vacated the classroom.

After they left, the group exloded into animated chatter, the recipients of their friends questioning feeling different things begin to gnaw at their insides as the curiosity of their classmates rose.

"Does your sister have a thing for younger guys!?"

"D-Do you think she'd go out with me?"

"Dude, she is way too pretty, it's scary!"

"K-Komachi-chan, your brother is so handsome!"

"I thought you said his eyes looked like a dead fish's?!"

"D-Does he have g-girlfriend?"

Hearing those questions and comments, the two felt two contrasting feelings grow inside of them. For Taishi, the poor silver haired young man hid his face as embarrassment and mortification covered his face. For Komachi, however, her eyes narrowed slightly as she took in the comments that were being said about her brother, an uncomfortable and foreign feeling growing in the pit of her stomach as the girls around her fawned over how her brother looked and how caring he was.

"Ne, Komachi-chan, c-could I trade some of my lunch with some of yours!" One of her friends asked with a tinge of pink on her cheeks, snapping Komachi out of her thoughts as she offered her a grin.

"Sure! Let's all trade!" She declared as they joined desks, an amiable atmosphere taking over as Komachi felt her mood drop once more when she heard more compliments get thrown at her brother by the other girls.

(Scene Change - Sobu High: Rooftop)

After dropping off his precious imouto's lunch Hachiman found himself walking towards the rooftop. Normally, it would've been a tranquil and stress free affair, but what the raven haired youth failed to take in account was the possibility of a companion tagging along with him, thus drawing the attention that two people, more specifically those of opposite genders, would garner whilst navigating the halls. And so, we find one Hachiman Hikigaya and one Saki Kawasaki silently and somewhat awkwardly on their way towards the rooftop together. In hindsight, the young man should've seen it coming, with how hurried the steps of his silver haired compatriot were in order to keep up with his own hastened pace. A few more minutes of that same awkward silence clung to them until the doorway to the rooftop opened, sun and fresh air washing away their worries as a pair of sighs left their mouths.

"Ara? Sakisaki?" A brunette with red rinmed glasses called out in surprise, drawing the attention of the two who gazed towards one Ebina Hina who was currently enjoying a can of peach tea and a small sandwich.

"Hina? What are you doing up here?" Saki asked in a confused manner, knowing that the brunette would normally be enjoying the company of her little group of friends.

"Hmm, can't a weary soul enjoy a lunch by herself on the rooftop of her school?" She countered as Saki shrugged her shoulders, about to walk towards her friend only to pause when Hachiman turned to leave the scene.

"W-Wait, where're you going?!" She cried out when he was about to re-enter the building, quickly latching onto the sleeve of his blazer as crimson burned her cheeks.

"To my second preferred place of rest, it's a bit crowded up here." Hachiman quipped as Saki has a small frown mar her face, Hachiman wincing a bit when it was directed solely at him.

"Oh? And who is that, Sakisaki? Ah! Is this the fabled boyfriend that a school break will bestow upon a lucky soul?!" Ebina asked as she stood up and moved to greet the newcomer, though she had to admit that there was something charming about him, like she knew him from somewhere.

"Oi, don't go bringing other people into your delusions, Ebina. It's bad enough you have em of that blonde prince and me." Hachiman grunted as he tried to ignore Saki securing a much more intimate hold on his wrist, Ebina flinching as the newcomer knew her name before the realization struck her.

"H-Hikitani-kun...!?" Ebina suddenly whispered with wide eyes, unable to grasp that the boy from last year had changed so drastically over the course of a single break.

"You too, huh? I really change that much? Then again, unlike you raijuu, I don't see people frequently enough for such a change to gradually take place. Probably like looking at a sudden before and after photo or something." Hachiman said with a slight chuckle, drawing a bit of pink to color the face of Ebina as she found it heavily out of character and equally as charming.

"C-Come'on Hikitani-kun, don't you want to spend your lunch with two beautiful girls? Or... Did you want to find Hayama-kun and finally ask him out on a exquisite date that only men of your caliber could truly enjoy?!" Ebina asked in a sly tone and she eased her poker face back, though it lost any sense of the aforementioned slyness when a profound and impassioned question escaped her mouth.

As the a dribble of blood began to run down her nose, Saki and Hachiman moved to both wipe her nose and hold it closed to stop any further bleeding. Working in sync, Saki quickly and efficiently wiped the blood away with a tissue while Hachiman pinched her nose close. Blinking at what just happened, the glasses wearing girl reddened when she was treated like a toddler by the pair, both of them sporting exasperated expressions on their faces as they led Ebina, who Hachiman still had by the nose, to the usual seating area.

"I'm going to let go now, you get any blood on us and you'll owe us." Hachiman warned her as his glasses dropped slightly, a slightly scared squeak leaving the brunette as his previously charming eyes were replaced with his usual dead-fish like ones.

Confused why her friend let out such a scared sound, Saki turned and almost let one out herself when she saw the way his glasses only added to the sharpness and intimidation factor of his eyes with how his brows were currently furrowed. With the way his glasses were drooping down the bridge of his nose, he reminded the pair of an anime or manga villain; the unamused and tried expression on his face doing little to help his case. A few second passing, Ebina remembered his request and nodded her head as he released her nose. Rubbing it slightly, though he was exceedingly gentle when he pinched it, the pair saw the ravenette fix his glasses as the villain-like appearance he had just a few seconds ago seemed like a trick of the light.

"Ha... Might as well eat here now..." He muttered as he opened his bento, the two snapping out of their stupor as they followed suit.

"So, why were you really up here, Hina?" Saki asked after swallowing a wiener shaped like an octopus, Ebina having a soft smile cross her face as she gazed down towards the school grounds.

"I got a few invites for lunch, and normally I'd accept but somehow, I wasn't feeling like it would fill the emptiness that I've started to feel since second year ended." Ebina said in a soft tone, Saki giving her a concerned look while Hachiman raised a brow.

"You could've went and found your little group, pretty sure that they're all panicking looking for each other now that you aren't in the same class." Hachiman said as Ebina giggled a bit at the thought of a panicked Yumiko and Tobe running class to class, a smile and smirk crossing the faces of her lunchmates at the sound.

"That is true, Hikitani-kun, but at the same time I didn't want them to find me. If they did, we'd all fall back into the same routine that we had last year." She said in a soft manner, instantly drawing the attention of the sole male of the group as he gave her a confused and slightly irritated look.

"Weren't you the one who wanted things to stay the same?" He questioned her as she blinked in turn, offering him an apologetic smile as a soft left her lips.

"I suppose I did... But then, I found something that I wanted more then being a part of that never changing group. I found a real friend." Ebina admitted as she glanced at Saki, whose face instantly turned crimson as Hachiman snorted slightly.

"Oh? So that's how it is, huh?" He questioned in a teasing manner, instantly regretting it when Saki slugged his shoulder in retribution.

"Oho? Should I remind a certain Hikitani-kun that he once confessed to me?" Ebina added in a snide manner, Hachiman instantly feeling the temperature drop as Saki offered him a pitiless glare at the revelation.

"And who's to blame for that? Forcing someone like me to go out of his way to falsify a confession to interrupt a true one of someone who had feelings for you, that truly was a request I should've declined." He snapped back as Ebina giggled gleefully, drawing a confused look from her companions as she took a moment to compose herself.

"This... What the three of us are enjoying and doing right now, this is what I wanted..." Ebina admitted as a somber smile crossed her face, Saki returning it with a soft smile of her own while Hachiman raised a brow as she had brushed off his earlier statement.

"Don't think I'm enjoying this as much as you think I am." He muttered in a tired tone, getting another lighter punch for dampening the mood.

"Ha, can't you just read the mood and go along with it for a change? I worry for your sister sometimes, ya know." Saki barked in an exasperated tone, Ebina giggling as the raven haired young man rubbed his shoulder.

"Going off of what I've experienced, reading the mood is only really necessary when your life is in peril. For the current situation, even if Kawasaki is a time bomb with a short fuse I doubt my life is in danger, especially with a witness here to confirm the facts should such an unfortunate event transpire. As for Komachi, I should be the one you're worried about with my precious, adorable and scheming imouto plotting multiple ways to increase her Komachi points while lowering my Hachiman points." Hachiman explained as a pair of dead eyes were all that he received in turn, a slight wince crossing his face as the pair beside him sighed and returned to their lunches while ignoring him.

Soon enough, Hachiman rose as he excused himself softly as to not disrupt the chatting girls that were beside him. Activating his 'Loner's Aura' and maximizing its effect, he slipped away while the two shared a laugh together. Managing to pass the door, which thankfully didn't require him to physically turn the handle, he made his way back to his homeroom and took his seat, seeing that he still had about ten minutes until class started back up. Taking his book out, he indulged himself in it as a curious blonde moved to stare at him as the group around her continued to laugh and chat, Yumiko being a bit curious as to why he had returned without Saki as they had left together when lunch began.

Soon enough the bell rung and more of the class filtered in. Heading back to her seat, Yumiko saw that Saki finally returned from her own lunch; growing more curious when she saw him walk past Hachiman while giving him an extremely unhappy and angry look, the ponytailed girl seeming to fume more when he failed to acknowledge it. As the rest of the class returned from lunch, class continued as it did earlier, a relatively easy and uneventful day passing in the blink of an eye.

(Time Skip - A Few Hours Later)

"Hikigaya, could you come with me for a bit?" Shizuka called out towards the young man packing his belongings, the sigh that left his mouth drawing an irritated twitch of the brow from the woman.

Reluctantly walking over, his posture and aura akin to that of a prisoner heading to their execution, he was promptly brought face first to the voluminous bust of Shizuka as a strained smile graced her features. Tightening her headlock, a muffled cry leaving his mouth, Hachiman was promptly dragged out of the classroom as Saki watched with sad eyes and an outstretched hand. Lowering the offending appendage, she left a soft sigh leave as she trudged to her out of the school alone, sparing a lonesome gaze at the struggling pair slowly making their way down the hall. With Yumiko, the blonde had watched the scene with a bit of confusion before shelving it to hunt down a certain blonde in an effort to secure a little 'back to school' date. The new entourage she had following her that she made during the day chatting around her, she searched for her friends from her second year in the hopes of creating new friendships between them.

"So Hachiman, you certainly changed over the break! I barely recognized you until I felt your overly rotten aura, I guess it was too much to expect you to change as much on the inside as you did on the outside, ne!" Shizuka chirped as she tightened her hold on him, drawing him deeper into her chest as his brow twitched in complete and utter mortification.

"_I have glasses on, woman! This is why you're still single, you immature, alcohol loving chunni!_" He snapped in his mind, a bit of a cold sweat appearing when she snapped to stare at him with a chilling smile on her face.

"Ara, my dear Hikigaya-kun, you wouldn't be insulting a young and beautiful teacher like me in your mind now would you?" Shizuka asked with a wider smile crossing her face, Hachiman mentally sighing as he mustered all of Shiori and Jiro's teachings in regards to dealing with older women.

Solidifying his stance and steeling his heart, he moved his hands from grabbing the arm wrapped around his neck to grasp and rub her hand. The action effectively causing Shizuka to freeze, he tightened his hold on her hands before removing and grasping them as he freed himself from the headlock. Albeit a tad reluctantly, though he'd rather die then ever admit it, he removed his face from the confines of her chest. Standing to us full height while using his free hand to fix his glasses, he gazed at Shizuka with a passionate look in his eyes as the pink colored cheeks of his teacher looked admittedly adorable.

"_Damn it, somebody please marry her already before I get down on my knee and do it myself!_" Hachiman screamed in his mind as Shizuka immediately forced her gaze downwards as she began fidgeting, Hachiman's brow twitching when he saw how she was acting.

"_You're a grown woman for Kami's sake, Hiratsuka! You can't be playing the shy schoolgirl card at your age!_" He mentally cried as he found his cheeks turning pink when she shyly rose to meet his gaze, feeling a bit of his soul chip when the ploy he had created would surely shatter her maiden's heart once it was over.

"H-Hiratsuka-sensei... I uh... I don't think you should be so touchy-feely, someone might get the wrong idea, you know..." Hachiman muttered with an embarrassed tone, Shizuka's face flushing even deeper as she yanked her hand away and rubbed the back of her head.

"A-Ahaha! Y-You're completely right, Hikigaya-kun! S-Sorry about that, didn't mean to inconvenience or make you uncomfortable or anything like that! Y-You know that I'm just a hands on kinda teacher, r-right?" Shizuka said with a laugh as she tried to play off the whole situation as a joke of some kind, Hachiman grunting as he rubbed the back of his head as well though he slowed when he saw a forlorn glint in her slightly moist eyes.

"Tch... But... I just meant during school hours, you know. I mean, outside of school we can still do that kind of stuff, if you're fine with me that is." Hachiman said with untold amounts of embarrassment, red coloring his entire face as Shizuka froze at his statement.

"_He said that it's fine to be touchy-feely outside of school with him. That he doesn't mind that it's me as long as I don't mind that it's him. Is he... Is he asking me out, after school hours end?!_" Shizuka screamed in her mind, steam beginning to rush from her ears as she swiftly turned around and straightened her posture.

"H-Hmph! D-Don't be so arrogant, Hikigaya! It'll take more then just whispering s-sweet nothings to your teacher for that to happen!" She told the youth as she forced herself to calm her hammering heart, her bravado falling short as her legs were shaking slightly with the rather heartfelt encounter.

"Uh, sure... I'll try harder next time." He answered as her heart nearly stopped, Hachiman breathing a sigh of resignation when he heard that it would take more then what he did to ease her torment of his person.

Awkwardly, they made their way towards the destination that they were both originally set on heading to. Hachiman doing his best to avoid provoking Shizuka while the aforementioned teacher stole glances at the raven haired youth with pink still coloring her cheeks. Mentally, she was trying to calculate what other possible avenues Hachiman would take to try and steal her heart, and depressingly it didn't seem like he needed to do much to secure the heart and soul of the woman. At that realization, she dropped her head and began to mutter cutely under her breath as Hachman stilled his breathing, readying himself to fend off another assault as they neared the clubroom.

(Scene Change - Sobu High: Service Club Clubroom)

Arriving at the entrance of the Service Club clubroom, Hachiman was about to enter only to pause when Shizuka held her around out in front of him. Turning and raising a brow, he sighed when she gave him a mischievous smile and wink. Shifting to stand behind her, she nodded and opened the door as the chatting forms of four girls could be seen happily and animatedly talking with one another.

"Ah, Hiratsuka-sensei! Yahallo!" Yui cheerfully greeted with a wave, Shizuka returning it as she scanned the faces of those present.

"I understand that club activities do not officially begin until next week, but we wanted Komachi-san to get accustomed to the clubroom. I hope that you do not mind us taking an hour after classroom hours end to utilize it, Hiratsuka-sensei." Yukino stated in a apologetic tone, though she soon smiled when Shizuka waved off her concerns.

"It's no problem, ladies. How're you feeling about being a part of the Service Club, Komachi-chan?" She asked the latest addition to her small and headache inducing club, getting a cute and bright smile from the first year.

"I'm all ready for club duties, sensei! I won't let you down like my poor Gomi-chan!" She declared as a round of giggles filled the room, Hachiman muttering under his breath as he awaited Shizuka's signal to enter.

"Speaking of Senpai, where is he? I've been searching all day for him and haven't seen his yet! I even snuck out of homeroom for a little bit to spy on his and still didn't see him!" One Iroha Isshiki exclaimed as a slightly uneased look crossed her face, one mirrored by Yui and Yukino.

"Now that you mentioned it, I haven't seen Hikki all day either. I wanted to surprise him so I avoided texting and calling him, but now that it's almost time to head home I'm wondering if it was the right thing to do." Yui lamented in a soft and sad tone, drawing protective looks from the others as they silently cursed the aforementioned Hachiman for his 'crimes.'

"Though I doubt that you need to worry about Hikimissesthefirstdayofclub-kun, Yuigahama-san. Even if he is a poor excuse for a functional member of society, he has enough intellect and sense to avoid placing himself in life threatening situations, barring the occasional altercation with Hiratsuka-sensei." Yukino added as a wry round of laughter sounded, Shizuka's brow twitching as the memories of such events returned to the forefront of her mind.

Soon enough the five were chatting once more, Hachiman having resigned himself to his fate as he pulled out his book and leaned against the wall. A few more minutes passing, the possibility that Shizuka had forgotten about him grew more and more plausible to the chagrin of the raven haired youth. But just as he was about to claim the particular tile he was standing idly on as his own, a loud and resounding 'Come in' broke him from taking his first steps into real estate.

Debating on whether or not immediately following her order was the proper choice, he figured it would be the choice with the least amount of headache of pain. When he entered he heard a set of gasps as Yui and Yukino recognized him as the employee who gave them their meals a week prior. Isshiki merely stared at him in a slightly unnerving manner, her eyes holding none of the warmth or mischief that they normally held. As for Komachi, being the superior and sly imouto that she was, she quickly picked up on the situation and opted to remain quiet, though she was looking at her brother with eyes glinting with guilt and shame.

"Yo." Hachiman unceremoniously said as he rose his free hand in a lazy wave, the trio who were out of the loop merely staring at him like he was a stranger until Yukino's eyes widened.

"H-Hikigaya-kun?" She said in a tone of disbelief, her statement causing Yui and Isshiki's eyes to widen as they stared at him like he had grown a second head.

"H-Hikki!?"

"Senpai!?"

"Seriously, do I really look that different." He deadpanned as the trio darted towards him, his instincts immediately screaming at him to run while he still had the chance.

"N-No way!? Y-You can't be Senpai! My Senpai has eyes that even a dead-fish would find disgusting and suspicious!" Iroha shouted as she latched onto the front of his blazer, scanning him head to toe for any and all signs that he was indeed her belov-rotten eyed Senpai.

"Oi."

"Y-You're not joking, are you?! H-Hikki, the Hikki I know would never willingly work unless something drastic happened! Like an alien messed with his brain or someone was holding Komachi-chan for ransom!" Yui exclaimed as she followed Isshiki's example and looked for any and all signs that the person in front of her was indeed her Hikki, the cheeks of the pinkette growing warm as she focused her attention to his face.

"I'm literally standing in front of you."

"How can we be truly sure that you are Hikigaya-kun? I don't take kindly to those who impersonate those that I am fond of." Yukino asked in a frigid tone that caused everyone to shiver, Hachiman mentally sighing as he snapped his book shut.

"You guys aren't messing with me, are you?" He asked in an exasperated tone, getting two confused and one icy stare for his question.

"Right. Let's just do this already." He muttered as he simply removed his glasses, his normal and slightly slanted eyes instantly being replaced with his signature dead-fish like eyes to the shock, relief and horror of the trio.

"Hikki!"

"Senpai!"

"H-Hikigaya-kun..."

Iroha and Yui were instantly smiling as they latched onto him. The second year snuggling against his arm while Yui was holding his hand with a radiant smile on her face. A bit lost in the moment, they were broken from it by a dead eyed Komachi who coughed loud enough to break them from their enraptured state. When they finally took notice, they squeaked before sprinting away from him like he was made of fire.

"A-Ah! S-Sorry Hikki! I didn't mean to do that! I mean, there's no way I'd ever do that with you right now! Maybe later, but definitely not now!"

"S-Senpai, a-are you trying to take advantage our our month long parting to make a sudden move on me?! I'm terribly sorry but your timing is just the worst and unfortunately my heart is still healing from Hayato-senpai's rejection from last year, if you were to try again in private then maybe I would consider giving you a chance but as it is right now my answer is no, sorry."

"...You guys are just messing with me." Hachiman muttered in a tired tone as he placed his glasses once again on his face, the others watching with rapt attention as something as simple as a pair of glasses could ease the sharp appearance of his eyes.

"Well, I'm going to head home now. You staying Komachi?" Hachiman stated before turning towards his sister, getting a negative shake of the head as she bounded over to his side.

"Mmm, anything else for today?" He asked the gathered group, once more getting a negative shake of the head as he nodded in turn.

"Right, then I'll catch you all tomorrow then. Oh, and Yukinoshita?" Hachiman said as he headed towards the door, pausing to address the raven haired beauty as she stiffened a bit out of reflex.

"I'm so glad that you're 'fond' of me too." He said with a haughty smirk on his face, crimson exploding on the face of the poor girl as steam seemed to spout from her ears.

Quickly vacating the premises before any of the four that they left behind could launch a counter attack, the Hikigayas quickly found and released the 'Dullahan' from its earthly shackles before taking off at breakneck speed, which was still perfectly in line with the optimal and legal speed for a pedestrian powered bicycle with two bodies of Hachiman might add. En route to their home, Komachi remained silent through the journey, opting to simply tighten the arms currently wrapped around her older brother's abdomen.

"Ne, Onii-chan?" She asked in a soft tone, Hachiman nodding his head in confirmation to her voice

"Komachi is sorry about how she was this morning." She said in the same soft tone from before, a soft rumble being all she needed to know that everything was alright in their lives.

"That's all? It's fine, so don't worry about it. My adorable imouto could never do anything that could possibly hurt me. Ah, I bet that was worth a ton of points!" Hachiman told her as she giggled in turn, a warm smile marring her face as she snuggled into his back.

They continued to ride in amiable silence until a familiar ringtone caught their attention. Seeing that her hands were free, Komachi expertly pulled her brother's phone from his pocket and checked the caller ID, seeing that it was the same girl that they had escaped from before she could utter a retort.

"It's Yukino-chan, Onii-chan." She reported to him as he stiffened a bit, sighing as he shook his head.

"I'll answer it when we get home." He told her as she nodded in understanding, Komachi about to return it to her pocket when another ring sounded.

"It's Yui-chan now." She reported once more as another sigh left his mouth, once more getting a shake of her brother's head.

"Same thing." He stated as she nodded, though a third ring sounded soon after.

"Isshiki?" He asked as she replied in the positive, Hachiman shrugging his shoulders as Komachi sighed when another ring resounded.

"Ah, it's Hiratsuka-sensei!" She said as she felt him stiffen, Komachi giggling as a resigned sigh left his mouth at the name.

"Just put it on speaker..." He muttered as Komachi happily obliged, the siblings, Hachiman, getting an earful from the three girls who had coerced their teacher to make the call knowing his innate fear of her.

As the sounds of three angered and flustered girls sounded from the speaker of his phone, Hachiman Hikigaya sighed as he did his best to answer the repeated questions that those across the line bombarded him with. Though he was growing exhausted with entertaining their questions and slightly irritated with questions that were repeated differently to throw him off, he couldn't deny the small smile that was spread across his face as he conversed with them. As he carried on, he was entirely ignorant of the somber and forlorn eyes of his younger sister as she listened to the voices that were growing progressively warmer and more jovial as they started discussing nonsensical things; the only indication that she dared show her beloved brother being the slight tightening of her grip on his person.

"_Dummy, __nincompoop, Gomi-chan..._"

* * *

**And that's a wrap. Thanks for reading, stay awesome. **


	3. Chapter 3

"Yo." - Person Talking

"_Yo_." - Person Thinking

**And here is a sudden new chapter. Let's a go. **

* * *

"Mmm, Hachi, Machi; how was your first day?" The sleepy voice of Kanami called out when the front door opened, an equally sleepy smile on her face as the faces of her children soon came into view.

"It was great, Kaa-chan! Taishi-kun is in my class and I made a few new friends!" Komachi reportered as a bright grin marred her face, Kanami returning it in full as she turned to face her oldest.

"Mmm, same old." Hachiman quipped as his mother sighed a bit at his vague answer, opting to entertain Komachi as she quickly plopped down and started talking animatedly about her day with her mother.

Seeing that they were enjoying their time together, Hachiman smiled slightly as he made his way upstairs to shower and prep for the next day. A quick shower helping relieve him of the taut muscles and stress that he accumulated during the course of his day; Hachiman found himself with his headphones in as he went through the mathematic and science prep books that Shiori had recommended to him during his time working. Hearing him openly lament his rather lackluster performance in both areas, she had adamantly stated that he do his best to strengthen those subjects, going as far as to buy the study material for the raven haired youth.

If he was being completely honest, he could have cared less about those areas, opting to focus on his core strength in his literature and social studies courses. But the moment she had told him that she dipped a teeny bit into her own personal savings and purchased those books for him, practically forcing them into his backpack, his consciousness grew guilty at the thought of neglecting them without giving it at least the same five percent he had promised Shiori and Jiro. At first it was a practical chore to even open the books, his natural adversions to those subjects being a heavily demoralizing factor.

When he finally forced himself to sit down and power his way through at least five percent of the books, he was pleasantly surprised that the explanations and exercises weren't as difficult or as convoluted as he had expected. With the supplemental material, he was feeling much more confident with his skills and knowledge in his two weakest areas, feeling that he would now do at least average on his future work. Once he finished the first set of books, Hachiman found himself buying the next set as there was only half a chapter of the final set of study material and exercises, no doubt a corporate ploy to facilitate sales of future volumes, one which he fell into face first into without resistance.

Finishing with the current set of problems, he set his pencil down and shook his hand to rid it of the slight aches that started to throb from his flexor and abductor muscles of the pollicis brevis family. Whilst he flexed his hand, a chime from his phone alerted him to a text sent by Yui, the pinkette having even customized the tone to a recording of herself calling his name as embarrassing as it was. The 'Hikki, Hikki, answer me!' that sounded softly each time she called or texted him did cause a large amount of embarrassment to fill him, but he did have to admit that he felt a flutter of his heart each time her voice reached his ears.

Picking up his phone, he opened the message and was greeted with the sight of a rare Yui Yuigahama with her normally done up hair freely flowing down her back, Hachiman's eyes widening a bit when he saw just how much longer her hair had grown. Without being done up in her usual bun, it was a little past her shoulders. Quite quickly, he saw that she had most likely just finished showering before snapping the photo based on the droplets of water that still clung to her person. Observing the rest of the photo, he smiled when he caught sight of Sable with his usual happy expression, currently being held by his equally happy looking owner.

['_Hikki! Sable wanted to say 'hi' to you and he couldn't wait until the next time you came over, hehe! But don't think I'm still not mad at you for what you did earlier today, dummy! Hmph!']_

Seeing the photo and message, he couldn't help but crack a smile as he contemplated what he could say as a reply. As he thought about what to type, Komachi had just finished her own shower and was moving to drop off her laundry when she gained an overbearing urge to see her brother when she passed his room. Pausing, she placed her basket down and moved towards his door and knocked on it softly.

"Onii-chan? Are you busy?" Komachi called out from behind his door, the curious imouto opening it and seeing her precious older brother leaning against his desk while fiddling with his phone.

Silently and stealthily, she entered his room before making her way over to him like a wraith. A small smile spreading across her face, she soon wrapped her arms around his shoulders as he froze and stiffened at the sudden embrace before relaxing when he realized who it was that had given him the surprise hug. With Komachi, she squeezed him tighter when she felt him relax in her arms. Nuzzling against his hair, she took a couple of test whiffs before fully indulging herself in the smell of his hair, smelling the new brand of shampoo that he had begun using as it left a tingle in her stomach. Reluctantly rising her face, she peeked over his shoulder and felt her mood dampen when she saw the text containing a photo of Yui posing with her lovable and adorable dog, Sable.

"Yui-chan really is pretty, huh Onii-chan?" Komachi asked as she started at photo of the radiant looking pinkette, Hachiman raising a brow as he raised his free hand to ruffle her hair.

"She may pretty, but she still isn't as adorable or cute as Komachi. Ah, that must've earned me a lot of points!" Hachiman told her in a sure tone, Komachi smiling slightly as he moved his hand.

While she would normally rebuke his statement and reaffirm the pinkette's beauty, Komachi found herself keeping silent instead. Even after hearing the truth and affection in his words, they failed to warm and tickle her heart like they usually did. Her small smile thinning to a small line at his choice of words, Komachi felt her soul craving something more then his usual words of praise that revolved around her being 'adorable' or 'cute'. Her feelings caused her to tighten her hold around his person, drawing a confused and concerned look from her brother that she wished she could hide from.

"Is something wrong, Komachi?" He asked in a soft and worried tone, softly stroking her head as a few shakes began to emanate from her core.

"...Komachi will always have a place in your heart, right Onii-chan? E-Even if someone takes Onii-chan away from Komachi, you w-won't forget about Komachi, will you?" She asked in a shaking and frightful tone, Hachiman's instincts as an older brother flaring to life as he turned his body and pulled her into a sitting position on his lap.

The sudden act startling the girl, Komachi soon found herself straddling her older brother while he sat in his chair. Their current position a bit precarious, it was trumped by the intense feelings that both sides were currently emanating; Komachi having a lost and forlorn aura and Hachiman having a questioning and concerned aura. As he scanned his sister's person, he furrowed his brows when he saw that she kept her eyes down, refusing to meet his gaze while she held her hands folded together.

"You really have become a bit of a handful, haven't you..." Hachiman muttered in a soft and amused tone, though Komachi shuddered slightly and dropped her head a bit lower.

"I had a similar talk with you yesterday, didn't I? Even if I might seem like a stinking raijuu to you, and Kami forbid I do, you did tell me that there is no way that I'd manage to get by without my dear imouto by my side." He said as Komachi felt her lips twitch a bit at his self deprecating tone, raising her head slightly and offering it to him as he smirked in turn.

"And I remember telling you that you should only think that I'm leaving you behind when you actually hear it from my mouth, and sorry to tell you this my dear imouto, you will never hear those words leave this rotten mouth of mine. So, as sad and skin crawling as it is, you're unfortunately stuck with this 'dead-fish eyed, looks like a suspicious petty criminal' of an Onii-chan for as long as you're adorable, which will sadly be the rest of your life. Bet that scored me bunch of points!" Hachiman declared as Komachi's eyes widened considerably, a teary but radiant smile slowly spreading across her cheeks as Hachiman's began to burn from the embarrassing drabble that left his mouth.

"So, if you ever get second thoughts about your place in my heart or anxious that I'll leave you behind just remember this, Komachi. Who was it that put up with such a useless and pathetic excuse of an older brother for the better part of their life? And even took the time to fix the heart he had so stupidly gotten broken when she should have been out and about, becoming the exact opposite of what he was. You aren't stupid or a burden, you're the only person would care enough about me to say those things with those false thoughts in your mind. You can't expect your brother to leave you behind without repaying you for all you've done, so get those kind of empty and baseless thoughts out of your head, alright. So Komachi-chan, do you have anything else to add?" He asked as she flushed deeply, though a melting smile crossed her face as she shook her head in the negative.

"No, thank you Onii-chan. But, can Komachi ask one thing?" She asked with a small tremor in her voice, Hachiman raising a brow before nodding.

"Does Komachi have enough points to trade in for something selfish?" She asked as he smirked slightly, his expression causing further embarrassment to fill her.

"Well, I don't know... I think you did use a lot of points with having your poor Onii-chan reassure you of things you should have already known..." He muttered as Komachi's heart dropped slightly, though when she saw that smirk on his face she gained a small pout as he chuckled.

"But seeing as you still have an infinite amount of points left, I guess you have some to spare." He quipped as she smiled gently and fondly at him, her cheeks turning a deep pink while she adverted her gaze.

"Then... Can Komachi trade in her points for a... For a kiss?" She asked with embarrassment heavy in her tone, Hachiman flinching as pink dusted his own cheeks though he nodded somewhat stiffly.

"Mmm, I-I think you have enough points for that, though it might use up all of them." He warned as she giggled softly, facing him with a bright and soft smile on her face as she nodded in agreement.

Mentally readying himself, he learned forward as Komachi's breath hitched slightly. Closing her eyes, she minutely puckered her lips slightly as he neared her face. But her expectations were dashed when she felt his lips gently make contact with her forehead. Crimson flooding her face, she was disappointed but the ache in her heart ebbed a bit more softly as he parted from her. Upon opening his eyes, Hachiman blinked a bit when he saw the embarrassed and slightly angry pout that marred her face.

"Mou... K-Komachi was talking about a different kind of kiss, Onii-chan..." She muttered softly as his own blush deepened, though he soon gained a look of understanding as Komachi felt her heart quicken once again.

"Right, sorry. I'll offer a full refund of your Komachi points if you allow this unreliable Onii-chan to remedy his mistake and promise not to report this incident to the manager." He said as she giggled brightly, nodding her head as he took a breath to ready himself.

Once again, Komachi felt herself closing her eyes and puckering her lips as he leaned towards her. But her expectations were once again dashed when she felt him kiss her on the cheek, feeling a deeper flush cross her face as she savored the feelings of his lips on her cheek. While disappointed, the ache in her heart had all but vanished as he pulled away from her with a reddened face. Seeing that, she giggled happily as he merely grunted and turned away.

"That better?" He muttered as she grinned happily in response, Hachiman feeling his embarrassment melt slightly as she slowly got off his lap.

"Mhmm! Thanks Onii-chan, Komachi feels recharged and ready for anything!" She declared in her usual energetic and bright tone, Hachiman smiling upon seeing it as he turned back to his work.

"Good, let's keep it that way." He said in a warm but cautious tone, Komachi smiling when she heard it while she excused herself.

Seeing him return to his work, she offered him one final smile that he returned before she exited and closed the door to his room. A content sigh leaving her, Komachi leaned against his door as she reached up to touch the cheek that he had kissed as a radiant and slightly resigned smile spread across her face. Slowly, she pushed her herself off his door to collect the basket of laundry that had been neglected during her impromptu visit. Heading back to the laundry room, she spared one fleeting gaze towards his room before a softer expression graced her features.

"_Onii-chan still doesn't see Komachi as a girl, but... It's enough for now, isn't it..." _Komachi mused to herself as she descended down the stairs, moving to touch her cheek before touching her lips as a smaller smile crossed her face.

"_Mmm... It's enough for now..._"

(Time Skip - The Next Day)

"Morning Onii-chan." Komachi yawned as she entered the kitchen, rubbing the remaining sleep from her eyes as she watched her beloved brother finish their lunches for the day.

"Morning, you sleep well?" He asked as she sleepily nodded, a smirk crossing his face as she groggily made her way to her seat.

Uttering a quick 'itadakimasu', she helped herself to the simple breakfast of grilled mackrel, miso soup and rice; feeling her sleepiness begin to flow out of her body as the miso soup began to warm and wake her body. Soon enough, she was happily and energetically enjoying her breakfast as Hachiman joined her. Falling into a comfortable silence, they quickly finished before placing their dishes in the sink; Komachi wrapping their mother's breakfast before they left the house. Locking the door, Hachiman was about to unchain his bike when Komachi latched onto his arm, the older Hikigaya giving her a curious look as she simply grinned in turn.

"We have plenty of time, Onii-chan! Let's walk together!" She chirped as he shrugged his shoulders, his imouto beaming as she snuggled deeper into his arm as they carried on their way.

With half and hour to make it and a route that took twenty five minutes, they made the most of their trip, Komachi keeping the flow of conversation while her brother would throw in his two cents every now and again. While it seemed one-sided, the smiles that they shared spoke volumes of how they felt inside. Their conversation keeping their attention, they were ignorant of the knowing and envious looks that those that passed by gave them, their conversation only breaking when they saw the familiar sight of the school gate.

A small sigh leaving Komachi's mouth, she gave him a resigned smile before reluctantly parting from him as they crossed the threshold that her brother had wordlessly established, Hachiman giving her an appreciative look as they entered the building together. Stopping at the stairway that separated their respective years, Komachi had a sullen look on her face as Hachiman sighed in a good natured manner.

"We'll see each other after school ends, Komachi." He reassured her as a small pout crossed her face, huffing a bit as she crossed her arms.

"Hmph, if Gomi-chan wasn't such a dummy, we could at least spend lunch together." She muttered with puffed out cheeks, Hachiman snorting as he patted her head lightly as to not mess up her slightly tamed bed head.

"And have you become an accomplice associated with the ultimate loner of Sobu? I think not. Now go, you'll be late for class if you don't hurry." He told her as she pouted a bit harder, quickly moving to ensnare her brother in a tight hug as a heavy dusting of pink crossed his face.

"O-Oi!" He hissed in an embarrassed and heated tone, taking note to his utter dismay of the many prying eyes that were currently locked onto their moment.

"Hehe, this is what my Gomi-chan gets for being such a Gomi-chan!" She chirped before breaking free and heading to her class with a skip to her step, Hachiman's brow twitching as he clicked his tongue in turn.

As he turned to leave, he was keenly aware of the eyes that were still on his person. Still irritated by both Komachi's sudden hug, though he truly wasn't, and their gazes, he let his glasses drop enough to release the seal and unleash the power of his dead-fish like eyes; effectively startling and scaring those unfortunate enough to see the rather intimidating gaze he sent their way. With the slight scowl that sat comfortably on his face, his stiff and imposing posture, his long locks tied in a pony tail that caused his bangs to shadow his eyes slightly, his appearance effectively locked him into the 'delinquent' route of those who first saw him, the first years still staring at him scattering like mice when he scowled in their direction.

"_Ha... Well there goes my odds of having a cute and clumsy kohai..._" He lamented in a mirthful manner though he was shedding tears, quickly heading up the stairs before a teacher possibly apprehended him for being a public menace.

(Scene Change - Sobu High: Class 3-I)

Arriving in his class, Hachiman headed to his seat without sparing a glance towards any of his classmates, drawing a raised brow from one blonde haired young lady, though she returned her attention to the others who were animatedly chatting around her. As he was about to pull out his usual book, he was soon approached by a silver haired young lady as she stood with her arms crossed over her chest. Slowly but surely, Saki felt her temper begin to rise when he completely tuned out her existence; Saki forcibly lowering the book in his hands as he followed the delicate looking appendage to its owners face.

"Yo, Kawasaki." He greeted as Saki felt her blood pressure suddenly rise, her brow twitching as she sighed in irritation.

"I've been standing here for the past minute, ya know." She deadpanned as he blinked in turn, raising his free hand in a half hearted apology as she felt her ire near its limit.

"Sorry, not used to being greeted in class." He admitted in an awkward tone as she flushed a bit in turn, looking away while she fidgeted with the ends of her blazer.

"O-Oh, right... S-Same with me when it comes to greeting people..." She added as she offered him a shy and awkward smile, Hachiman returning it as they fell into a small bit of chatter.

Saki feeling her heart swell each time she said something that drew a smile to his face or cause him to snort in an impossibly adorable manner, she found herself sitting slightly on his desk as he leaned back in his chair in a comfortable manner. As she recounted the affairs of yesterday, silently praying that her beloved younger brother would forgive her for retelling his embarrassing slip up yesterday while shopping.

"-nd poor Taishi didn't see the wet floor sign until it was too late. He slipped and fell face first into one of the female employees, who screamed loud enough to wake the dead." Saki said in a tearful and bitter manner, silently shedding tears for her younger brother as Hachiman snorted.

"Wow, even I feel bad for him now." Hachiman chuckled as Saki surprisingly pouted at him in an angry manner then her usual death glare, her look only drawing more laughter from him as the door to their class opened.

Minutes prior, Shizuka was lazing at her desk in the staff room, gloomily looking at the pile of papers that denoted the activities for her students for the day. A sigh leaving her mouth, she was about to take the stack when a familiar head of pink hair hopped into the room.

"Hiratsuka-sensei, yahallo!" Yui called out in her usual bright manner, Shizuka returning it as the pinkette bounded towards her club advisor.

"Hmm? Is all that for your class, sensei?" Yui asked as she saw the small mountain of white, getting a wry smile in turn as Shizuka nodded in confirmation.

"Ah! Let me help you then, sensei!" Yui cheerfully said as Shizuka grinned in turn, splitting the paper mountain with her 'oh so helpful' student as they carried on their way to their class.

"So Yui-chan, how're you doing as a third year?" Shizuka asked as the exited the staff room, Yui smiling as she bounced from foot to foot.

"It's so exciting, Hiratsuka-sensei! I'm in 'Class 3-E' with Hina-chan and Tobe! It's a bit sad that Yumiko, Hayato and the others aren't in our class, but it's still fun! It's also a bit sad that sensei isn't our sensei. But other then that, I feel that this year is going is going to be a good one!" Yui reported as Shizuka smiled at her words, seeing that the originally forced and fake smile that the pinkette held for appearance sake was much more real and alive.

"That's good to hear, Yui-chan! And don't worry about your Shizuka-sensei, I have a colorful cast of wonderful students in my class this year as well." She said as Yui smiled brightly, the two falling into a bit of idle chatter as they passed through the halls.

Upon arriving at 'Class 3-I', they saw the chatting students and smiled seeing that their energy was so high in the morning. Entering, they headed towards Shizuka's desk to relieve their arms of the small weights they had been carrying for the past few minutes. But soon enough, they froze when they saw the unfamiliar sight of Hachiman openly chatting and laughing with Saki; a radiant and flushed smile on the face of Saki while a small and amused smile graced Hachiman's. Shizuka quickly recovered, offering them a small smile as they had seemingly broken from their shells enough to be comfortable around each other, though she did raise a brow when she saw that Saki was practically sitting on the young man's desk. Though it was Yui who seemed to be shocked to the point of dropping her usually happy and bubbly expression.

"H-Hikki!" She called out with an overly loud and cute tone of voice, frantically waving her arm as she bounded over to his desk.

While she was her usual bright and smiling self on the outside, her mind was racing as she desperately tried to activate the vast untapped well of brain power that she had only just started dipping into with the help of Yukino over the break. Scanning the class, she mentally pumped a fist when she saw that she had grabbed the attention of the majority of the class. A bit of a snide and calculating smirk crossing her face, she quickly schooled her features as she stopped in front of the raven haired youth and beamed a sweet smile at him. Startling the pair that were previously occupying it as they stared at her.

"Yuigahama!" They said in tandem with a start, Yui internally frowning a bit seeing as she had interrupted something rather intimate given the sight but rolled with it nonetheless.

"So you're in 'Class 3-I', Hikki? Now I know where to wait for you when we go to club! Ah, yahallo Saki-chan!" Yui said in an excited tone, though she quickly turned and greeted the girl still sitting on Hachiman's desk.

"Hello, Yuigahama." Saki replied in a polite tone, though internally she was feeling something ominous about the smiling pinkette that she couldn't place.

"Ah, Hikki! You never replied to my message last night! Mou, you always do that!" Yui suddenly said in a tone just loud enough for the rest of the class to catch, all eyes widening as they swap to look between the two in question.

"Oi, what're you talking about? I did reply." He hissed in an embarrassed and accusatory tone, narrowing his eyes as hers began to glint with a light that he did not find comforting.

"Hmm? Then what do you call this, Hikki!" She declared as she pulled out her phone and showed the pair at his desk, Saki nearly choking on her spit while Hachiman raised a brow.

"It's showing that I replied right there." He deadpanned as he pointed at the text that he responded with last night, Yui blinking blankly before turning to look at her phone before gasping and smiling sheepishly.

"O-Oh, I guess I forgot! Hehe!" She said while giggling in embarrassment, Hachiman shaking his head in exasperation though a smile graced his features.

"Ah, well I should get back to my class before the bell rings! I'll talk to you later Hikki! You better remember to text back, or else!" Yui declared as she moved to depart from the class, Hachiman merely nodding as he bid her a brief farewell.

As he did so, Saki quickly got off his desk before briskly making her way towards her own. A bit stunned that she had moved so suddenly, he offered her a quick 'goodbye' that was promptly ignored. Blinking, he turned slightly to look at her before focusing his attention back to the front when a frigid look was staring back at him. A sigh leaving his mouth, he focused on the board as Shizuka rounded the attention of the class, moving to distribute the syllabus she had printed for them.

Whilst Shizuka was briefly explaining what it was, Yumiko was tuning her out as she felt a bit betrayed that Yui hasn't even noticed her attempts to gain the attention of the pinkette before she sped out, narrowing her eyes at the person who was the sole receiver of her attention. Stopping by each desk to offer a polite hello and reintroduce herself to each of her students, she paused at Hachiman's desk and offered him a wry smile that was returned. Soon enough, she was back at the front as she began breaking down the aspects of the class.

(Time Skip - Twenty Minutes Later)

"-at's all there is concerning late and missing work, you miss it, you make it up. Anything else anyone have questions of? If not I'll be moving onto the next order of business." Shizuka asked as she scanned the room, seeing that her students desperately wanted to move on from hearing rather self explanatory things.

"Right, now that we're officially going to begin class activities tomorrow, I think that it would be best to elect our class representatives for the year. If you want the job, go ahead and nominate yourself otherwise nominate someone you think will be a good fit for the job. So come up to the board and place your bets." She explained as excited and defeat groans could be heard from her students, though she was paying mind to a single one as he listlessly stared out the window.

Seeing that, Shizuka had an evil smirk cross her face as she discretely moved to place the name of a certain loner amongst the candidates. But imagine the surprise when she saw that he was already listed among the male representatives, curiously turning and scanning the faces of those who could have potentially added his name before seeing a few boys and girls in the back snickering and gesturing towards Hachiman. A small scowl marring her face, she shook her head at their childish behavior. Soon enough, she saw the last of her students return to their seats, nodding as she moved to declare the nominations.

"Alright, now that we got some names, let's narrow em down, shall we?" Shizuka asked as she looked over both lists, nodding as she pulled out a marker of her own.

"Let's see, we'll start with the boys then. Any of you actually want the job?" She asked as a deafening silence met her, the black haired beauty sighing as she could have sworn to have heard the chriping of crickets.

"Right... Then we'll have a vote to decide then. All in favor of Akita-kun?" She called out, getting another round of silence.

"Ok... Akira-kun?" Once again, she was met with silence.

"Then... Reiji-kun?" She asked in a tone that suggested she knew the answer, being correct as no hands rose.

"Mmm... Toki-kun?" She drawled out, already knowing the outcome as no one looked at her.

Sighing, she continued to list off the names of the other five candidates as more and more awkward silence met her. Growing a bit frustrated at their lack of insight, seeing as one of them will have to take the job willingly or unwillingly, she turned and saw the last name on the list as a bit of a glint shone in her eyes. Though, she did feel a bit of sympathy for her favorite dead-eyes student. Taking a breath, she turned and faced the class as she pointed to the last name on the list.

"Finally, is anyone in favor of Hikigaya?" She asked as a sudden sound drew her attention, Shizuka smirking when he snapped his head towards her with his eyes wide.

"O-Oi! I don't remember signing up!" He said with a start, a rather disquieting scowl marring his face as he glared at Shizuka.

"Oh? If you bothered paying attention, you would have heard that you didn't have to volunteer, that you could also be nominated, Hikigaya." Shizuka reported in a snide tone, Hachiman's scowl growing as his glasses dropped a bit.

Seeing his normal eyes, the ones not distorted by his glasses, along with his older look caused a bit of a shiver to dance down Shizuka's spine, a shiver she found both exciting and mortifying. With his eyes dead and sharp, a heavy scowl crossing his feature along with the way his bangs were shadowing his eyes with his glasses slightly drooped; he had a look that screamed that he was a rough but calculating character, the look of a true manga villain much like a certain traitorous Shinigami. If he were to stand his full height and stare someone down, Shizuka had no doubts that even the toughest in their school would be intimidated by the young man.

That sentiment was soon proven to be true when he gave the rest of his class an irritated gaze, the snickering that was once heard dying almost immediately when he crossed eyes with the boys and girls who had agreed to place his name amongst the others. Seeing that, he openly clicked his tongue at them as they paled slightly at the sound, feeling like he had marked them for death as they focused their attention to their desks which somehow had became extremely fascinating. Seeing that, he focused his attention to the front as Shizuka awaited someone to vouch for the ravenette. That someone came in the form of a person neither of them had expected.

"Sensei, I think Hikio would be fine as the class representative." Yumiko said as she rose her hand, stunning the majority of the class as they turned to look at her.

"Oh? You think so Miura-san? On what basis do you say that?" She asked in a curious tone, though she knew the answer.

"Ha... Even though Hikio is Hikio, he's proven himself to be able to handle activities like planning, meetings and execution when he's been forced into them by his connection to the Service Club. While I don't think that he's the perfect candidate for the job, he is certainly better and much more proven then the others who were nominated, some of them I know for a fact would crack under any form pressure unlike Hikio, who would just say something creepy or stupid before getting the job done. I'm sure you remember the Tennis Club request, the Chain Email incident, the whole Summer Camp situation, the Culture Festival fiasco, a certain Kyoto event I will blantantly ignore for now, getting our current student council president elected and a personal request of mine that he realized; and those are just a few of Hikio's achievements, though the way he went about them were extremely Hikio and creepy." Yumiko explained as the class quieted doen considerably, everyone looking between the two as Hachiman's brow twitched in utter humiliation.

"_This bitch... After spouting all that bullshit, there's no way I'm getting out of this._" He cursed in his mind, glaring at the blonde who simply glared back.

"Alright then! Any objections or further vouches for Hikigaya?" Shizuka asked with a grin, directing it towards the young man in question as he intensified the glare being sent her way.

"I'll vouch for Hikigaya as well." Saki announced as she rose her hand, Hachiman snapping to stare at her with a mix of betrayal and shock.

"Hmph." She huffed as she turned her head away, Hachiman sighing as he let his head drop in defeat.

"Well, looks like Hikigaya will be our class rep for the boys. Now for the girls, let's see... Ah, Miura-san? Any vouches?" Shizuka asked as a large number of hand rose from the boys in retribution for her cutting words, the blonde instantly growing irate as she leveled her firey glare on them.

"Oh ho? Looks like we've got a majority vote for you, Miura-san, congratulations!" Shizuka announces as horror crosses her gaze, instantly sending a death glare towards all who rose their hands as they immediately cowered in fear as the triumph and arrogance they felt vanished.

"Sensei. I really think you should reconsider. Those who don't have a basis for selecting their leaders other then spite shouldn't be allowed to vote." She said in a sickly sweet tone, the others cringing as the felt their pride break a bit with her words.

"Mmm... I think I'll let it slide, congrats Miura-san!" Shizuka chirped in a bright tone, a mischievous glint in her eyes as Yumiko had a twitch develop.

"Well, now that that's settled, would our newly appointed class reps come with me while the rest of you chat amongst yourselves!" Shizuka chirped as they became silent, Hachiman and Yumiko begrudgingly rising and heading to the front but not before sending a bone chilling and burning glare to their classmates.

Meeting each other halfway, they paused before narrowing their eyes at each other. The temperature of the room dropping several degrees, they scoffed at the other before stalking their way towards Shizuka. Arriving, their already low moods fell more when they saw the victorious grin smeared across the face of their teacher. Sighing in unison, they had a small twitch of their lips when they saw her eyes twitch with annoyance.

"Right then, well you two it's not too hard of a job you know. It's practically all formalities with the occasional meet ups with the student council, other class reps, organizing and planning with the off chance of extra work that may or may not be related to helping your poor, overworked and underpaid teacher." She explained in a sweet tone, the brows of the two twitching as irritation like no other filled them.

"So... Anyway I can pawn off this to some other unfortunate person?" Hachiman asked offhandedly, getting a scowl from the two ladies as he stepped away in precaution.

"If Hikio gets to leave, I demand that I receive the same treatment." Yumiko added in a heated tone, Shizuka sighing as she gave the glasses wearing youth a sad look.

"Hikigaya, you really don't want to do this?" Shizuka asked in a soft and teary tone, the man wincing a bit before shaking his head when he saw her eyes misting a bit.

"It's just me complaining like usual, sensei. You know how I am, just ignore me. If it'll help move things along faster and smoother, I'm fine with it." Hachiman sighed as Shizuka's visage brightened considerably, the black haired beauty turning to Yumiko as the blonde was staring at Hachiman in disbelief.

"Really? Just like that? All it takes for you to agree with something is a little bit of fake waterworks?" Yumiko asked in a tone of disbelief, Hachiman glaring at her as she scoffed in turn.

"Shut up." He muttered as her glare intensified, the raven haired youth turning away while the blonde smirked victoriously.

"Alright, that's enough you two, we'll start for sure tomorrow. You two are excused, enjoy your lunch!" Shizuka said with a smile, the two nodding as they headed back to their desks.

Sparing one last glare towards the other, they scoffed before separating, the class quieting when they saw the two returning to their seats. Grabbing his lunch, Hachiman quickly vacated the class as Saki let a small sound of shock leave before a sullen look crossed her face. With Yumiko, she watched him leave with an indifferent look before shaking her head as her clique soon joined her with their lunches. With Saki, she wasn't able to leave the class until the actual lunch bell rang, the silver haired girl rushing to deliever her younger brother's lunch before hunting down a certain ravenette to interrogate for the events that transpired earlier during their class.

With Hachiman, he was intent on reaching his second sanctuary with the knowledge that a certain red rimmed fujoshi may be occupying his first. Heading towards the bench that overlooked the tennis courts, he took a seat as a sigh of relief left him. Stretching a bit, he removed his bento and was about to help himself when a noise of surprise reached him. Turning a bit, he raised a brow when he saw a vaguely familiar person; she had gray eyes, short brownish hair that reached down the nape of her neck and thin eyebrows.

Almost immediately she scowled and glared at him, Hachiman staring at her for an extra second before returning to his lunch. At the sight of him ignoring her, Minami Sagami felt her blood boil when she realized just who the trash in front of her was, after all it was the same scum that humiliated her when it was her moment to shine during the Cultural Festival. While he might have changed physically, there was no way that Minami could forget the disgusting aura that he oozed like the slime that he was. While she could tolerate him while she had her clique to fall back on, remembering the last and what she had hoped was the final time they interacted when they crossed paths in the hallway, with the loss of her so called 'friends' last year, all 'pleasantries' were thrown out the window when she saw the person responsible for her social downfall casually eating in her 'soon to be' usual lunch spot.

"Tch, the hell are you doing here." She spat with undeniable traces of heat, Hachiman raising a brow before sighing and taking out his headphones.

Seeing that, Minami felt her face explode with anger and indignation, only growing more so when he flipped his music on and started eating without a care in the world. Spending a few more seconds fuming, Minami scoffed before taking a seat on the far side of the bench, continuing to glare daggers at the now reading man.

"So, you gonna laugh Hikigerma? Laugh at the fact the girl who you embarrassed and ruined is eating all alone after her so called friends' bailed on her once things got tiniest bit rough?" She snarked in a mirthless manner, though her eyes were burning with untold amounts of hate and betrayal.

"Come'on, lay it on me! I'm not going anywhere you know! Go ahead, I'm waiting!" She snapped in a tone oozing with false brightness, an equally sickeningly sweet smile on her face as she turned to face him.

But once again, that facade dropped when she saw him completely in his own world, enraptured in the book that he held in one hand while eating in the other. Rage burning through the false pleasantness, Minami's body acted on its own as she suddenly stood up in anger; though in doing so she caused the bento that was sitting on her lap to fall gracefully to the ground. The sudden loss of her lunch stalling her mind, Minami simply looked at the spilled food in front of her as a sudden feeling of helplessness soon filled her.

A resigned sigh softly leaving her mouth, she simply stood there and looked at the ruined food beneath her, a small and humorless laugh leaving her mouth as a bit of moisture started to fill her eyes. Then, as gracefully as she could, she attempted to clean the mess she had caused, feeling none of the embarrassment that would usually come from doing such an act in public, only numbness. Using the lid of her fallen box to scoop up the remnants of her soiled lunch, Minami finished cleaning the spot in a relatively quick and efficient manner; though she found herself just sitting with an empty and lost look in her eyes when she was finished.

Minami was broken from her hollowed trance when she was offered a small assortment of dishes resting on the lid of a bento. Turning softly, she saw the glasses wearing form of one Hachiman as he held the offending lid towards her. Scanning his face, she soon found herself focusing on his eyes, the same eyes that were burned into the memory of her darkest and most hated moment were nonexistent. Instead, she found herself staring into two healthy and slightly slanted hazel pools that held a strange mix of sympathy and understanding. Continuing to stare into his eyes, eyes that never broke her gaze, she slowly looked down at the offered lunch before hesitantly taking it.

Uttering a soft 'thank you', she slowly ate while Hachiman returned to his book. With that, the two fell into a strangely comfortable silence as the birds chirped and sang, two loners merely accepting the cards that fate had dealt them. Occasionally, Minami would glance towards the young man who had given her a part of his lunch, seeing that he was still captured by his book. But to her surprise, he paused and turned his head slightly, raising a brow as he removed an earphone.

"You need something?" He asked as she blinked before returning to the lunch he had given her.

"No." She said curtly as he nodded, returning the earphone as silence prevailed once more.

Soon enough, she had finished the lunch that he had shared with her. Turning to glance at him, Minami returned the bento lid that had doubled as her plate, Hachiman turning to look at her before nodding as he took it, Minami sitting there for a few moments longer before excusing herself and leaving. As she stood and walked away, Hachiman watched her leave for a second before shrugging and returning to his book.

"_Wonder who that was._" He idly thought as he finished his own lunch, wrapping his bento back up he checked his phone before nodding and placing his book away.

(Time Skip - Ten Minutes Later)

(Scene Change - Sobu High: Class 3-I)

Entering his class once more, Hachiman headed to his desk only to pause when he saw a silver haired young lady sitting at his desk with a displeased expression on her face. Mentally sighing, he made his way over as she focused those same displeased eyes on him as he offered her a small wave, getting her to huff slightly and turn away.

"How was lunch with Ebina?" He asked in an attempt to break the ice, Saki giving him a level stare as he winced a bit.

"I thought we were going to have lunch together." She said in an even tone, Hachiman raising a brow as she gained a tinge of pink on her cheeks.

"When did we agree to that?" He asked in curiosity, Saki feeling her cheeks grow a bit hotter at the question.

"W-Well it's not like we openly said it, ya know. I thought that we sorta agreed to when we were talking this morning, before Yuigahama interrupted." Saki admitted with a deeper flush on her cheeks, the brows of the man furrowing as he failed to find the logic in her statement.

"Right... Well, we can do lunch tomorrow then, that work for you?" Asked Hachiman in an effort to reassure her, seemingly succeeding as she beamed a small smile at him.

"Speaking of Yuigahama, did something happen between the two of you? You seemed pretty pissed after she talked with us." He asked as Saki's smile dropped, her usual scowl soon appearing as she shook her head.

"Nothing happened. I'm just not used to her, ya know." She lied as he slowly nodded his head, the silverette sighing in both relief and frustration at his density.

"So... Not that I mind too much, but could I get my seat back?" He asked as she gained a brighter shade of pink, hopping out of his seat as if it were made of fire.

"R-Right, sorry! I just didn't know where else you'd go to besides our class or the roof, and since I don't have your number I couldn't text or call you." Saki muttered in an embarrassed tone, Hachiman nodding as he pulled into his chair.

"If you want my number I can just give it to you, you know." He said as she snapped her head up to stare at him with wide eyes, Hachiman resisting the urge to take a step back when he saw the unsettling glint in her eyes.

"R-Really!" She squealed in an extremely uncharacteristically cute manner, her eyes shining as she held her phone out towards him with two hands.

"S-Sure, it's no problem." He said while typing in his number, finishing quickly as Saki turned to look at the screen with a radiant and melting smile on her face.

"Thanks so much, Hachiman." Saki said with a tender tone, practically skipping towards her own desk as Hachiman took a seat with a dusting of pink on his cheeks.

Forcing himself to calm down, he managed to pull out his book and read a few pages when his phone suddenly chimed. A bit confused as to who could be contacting him, he could hazard a guess as he pulled out his phone. Glancing at the 'Unknown Number' that was currently displayed, he opened it and felt his blush return when he saw the message.

['It's Saki, Hachiman. You just gave me your number, thanks again! You can use this for my contact photo, but if you do anything else with it I'll belt you.']

It wasn't the message itself that caused his blush, but the photo that was attached to it. Currently, Hachiman was looking at a selfie that one Saki Kawasaki has taken probably seconds before sending the message. With a heavily embarrassed look on her face, Saki looked as if she was going to cry during the picture taking process, her fingers in the victory sign with her signature ponytail undone and her silver locks freely flowing across her face and shoulders in a rather sensual manner. His face growing more red the longer he stared at the photo, he forced himself to lock his phone before turning to the culprit responsible for his current embarrassment.

But once he looked at her, he truly wished that he hadn't. Saki's face could make a tomato jealous, the embarrassed silverette hiding her face in her hands as she leaned over her desk with her ponytail messily redone. Slowly, she rose her head before making eye contact with him as a noise of embarrassment left her while she buried and hid her face once more.

"_Oi! Don't send something so embarrassing if you're gonna act like this afterwards, Saki!_" Hachiman snapped in his mind as his brow twitched in irritation, his attention being diverted when Shizuka entered the classroom.

With a tired sigh, he focused on his teacher as Saki slowly recovered from her embarrassing act, her attention and reddened face focusing on the raven haired man as Shizuka raised a brow in suspicion. With lessons nonexistent, class soon flew as the afternoon came to be.

(Time Skip - A Few Hours Later)

"Right kiddos, let's leave it for today. Remember, we're starting for real tomorrow!" Shizuka declared as they packed their things and began to file out of the room, Hachiman following suit only to pause when he saw Saki standing beside his desk fidgeting with pink on her cheeks.

"U-Umm, y-you don't have club yet, do you?" Saki asked in an hopeful tone, though her mood dampened slightly when he nodded his head in agreement.

"It's not actual club hours, just an hour of getting the new members used to the clubroom before we leave." He explained as she seemed to brighten a bit, Hachiman raising a brow as she forcibly school herself.

"I-I see, well do you mind if I go to your club with you? If it's only an hour, we can maybe w-walk home together after." She asked with another light dusting of pink, Hachiman sharing it though he managed to nod.

"S-Sure, suit yourself but it's going to be uneventful." He Warner as Saki shook her head, Hachiman heaving a mental sigh as he stood up and walked out with Saki.

"Ah, Hikki! You're finally done!" A cheerful and bubbly voice called out to the raven haired youth, Hachiman turning and seeing the smiling face of Yui as she waved happily at him.

"Yo, Yuigahama. Were you waiting for me?" He asked in a surprised tone, getting a brighter smile as she nodded her head in the positive.

"Mhmm! I told you earlier, remember!" She said as he nodded his head, though he figured that she would've been doing it when club activities actually started.

Ignoring his surprise, she was about to latch onto his sleeve and pull him towards their clubroom when she finally took notice of the sharp eyes that were fixed onto her person. Staring at the taller girl who was standing a bit too close to her Hikki for her liking, Yui offered Saki a smile that was returned with a curt nod. Her plans skewed, the pinkette opted to stick close to Hachiman as they made their way to their clubroom.

"So Saki-chan, why're you going with us? I'm sorry, Hikki probably forgot to tell you that we aren't taking requests until next week. Mou, why can't you be more proactive, Hikki!" Yui told the silverette in an apologetic tone before moving to playfully pout at him in a reprimanding manner, Saki feeling her ire rise as the pinkette continued to 'flirt' in front of her.

"No, he actually told me earlier. I just have business with him after and he said that it'd just be an hour, so I don't mind waiting for him to finish." Saki explained to Yui who nodded somewhat slowly, turning to look at Hachiman as he raised a brow in intrigue.

"S-So H-Hachiman, did you use the p-photo that I sent you for y-you know what?" Saki suddenly asked while mustering all of her courage, unable to mask the mass of embarrassment the flooded her system as her face reddened.

The question effectively causing both the man in question and Yui to freeze, Yui snapping her head towards the silverette who was focusing the entirety of her attention away from the glasses wearing boy despite her question. As for Yui, she quickly snatched his phone as he had frozen in process of pulling it out. Quickly unlocking it, Yui mentally thanking her Hikki for still failing to heed her words of setting up a password, she expertly navigated to his messages before finding Saki's name. Opening it without pause, she stood stunned as she stared at the exceptionally cute and somewhat sultry photo of the silverette.

Continuing to simply stare at it, the phone was snatched back as Hachiman shot her an embarrassed glare, grumbling to himself as he sped away, leaving his two companions behind as they stood motionless. Slowly, they turned towards the other as a pair of unsettling looks entered their eyes; Saki having a fierce light in hers while Yui seemed to lose all traces of life in hers. Wordlessly, they turned and raced after the man who left them as multiple different thoughts raced through their heads.

"_Damn it, H-Hachiman! This is all your fault, you big i-idiot!_"

"_Hikki... She calls Hikki by Hikki's first name... Hikki is my Hikki though..._"

* * *

**And that's a wrap. Thanks for reading, stay awesome.**


	4. Chapter 4

"Yo." - Person Talking

"_Yo_." - Person Thinking

**And here is a sudden new chapter. Let's a go. **

* * *

"Ah, Hikigaya-kun, how nice of you to join us." The graceful tone of Yukino sounded as she offered the man a soft and fond smile, Hachiman raising a hand in greeting as he entered the clubroom.

"Yo." He drawled in a plain tone, taking a seat in his usual spot as he glanced around the room.

"No one else is here yet?" He asked as Yukino nodded her head in confirmation, Hachiman returning it as he pulled out his book.

"Would you like some tea while we await the others, Hikigaya-kun?" She offered as she headed towards the kettle, Hachiman answering her in the positive while a comfortable silence soon took hold.

Yukino taking her usual seat, she opened her own book and attempted to get lost into it like she usually did, though her attention was currently being diverted by the glasses wearing youth sitting across from her. Sneaking a glance every now and then, she slowly found herself turning to face him as he sat with his elbow propped up on the desk, his head resting on his hand. Continuing to watch him, she felt a dusting of pink appear across of her face as she took in his recent changes.

Swallowing the small lump in her throat, she tried to shift her attention from the young man to avoid the catastrophic scenario that he noticed her staring. A few tense seconds later, she found herself seeing that he had already finished his tea. A little too quickly, she rose from her seat with a shrill screech sounding from her chair sliding across the chair. The startling sound causing Hachiman to jump slightly, he stared at her with wide eyes as a deeper tinge of pink colored her cheeks. Embarrassment filling her face, she was returning his bewildered with wide eyes of her own.

"A-Ah, y-your tea, Hikigaya-kun! I just noticed that you've finished it!" Yukino said in a hurry, Hachiman raising a brow before slowly nodding his head as she hurriedly made her way towards the kettle.

A few moments later, she carefully made her way over to refill the young man's tea; remembering to add the usual amount of excess sugar. Gently tilting the kettle, she got a word of thanks from the man that warmed and filled her heart. Finished with pouring his tea, she cautiously glanced up and caught a sight that caused her higher levels of thinking to stall. With the afternoon sun just about to begin sinking over the horizon, it's reddish orange light was reflected off of the face of the young man in front of her.

His glasses dipping slightly, his eyes were a tantalizing mix of his usual sharp and his slanted normal eyes. Reflected in those eyes were a mix of intrigue and mirth at what he was currently reading, a soft smirk marring his face as a rather uncharming snort left his person. To the poor young maiden who was unlucky enough to catch the bewitching and enrapturing sight of such a Hachiman, Yukino felt her face inch closer as she continued to stare and burn the sight into her memory.

The young man in question a small shiver run down his spine as a innate creeping sensation filled his person. Breaking his attention from his book, he turned and flinched when he saw Yukino's face inches away from his own. Pink coloring his own cheeks, he was about to ask what the issue was only to fall silent when he saw her face. Enchanting was one word to describe what he was currently looking at; her glossy eyes, half lidded expression, flushed cheeks and pink lips. The two staring at each other, lost in the other's expression, they were finally broken from their moment when a loud cough sounded from the doorway. Their heads snapping to the source of the noise, their tinged cheeks deepened in color when the unamused face of Komachi staring back at them.

"Hmm? Did Komachi interrupt something?" She deadpanned as Yukino stood straight, coughing cutely as she tried to ease her embarrassment while returning the kettle held in her hands.

"N-Not at all, Komachi-san. I was merely pouring Hikigaya-kun some more tea when I decided to see the differences that his new glasses made. As expected, even with the slight improvement to his eyes, the sloth-like aura that he exudes along with his personality which remains more rotten then carrion completely eliminates any and all positive changes that he may or may not have made over the break. Truly a sad existence for having such a charming and attentive younger sister." Yukino lamented in an exasperated tone, sadly shaking her head as she placed a hand to her forehead.

"Oi." Hachiman grumbled as he furrowed his brow, Yukino smiling slightly while Komachi stared a bit before giggling and bouncing over to her brother.

The two falling into a small amount of chatter at the expense of the glasses wearing man, Hachiman sighed before returning to his book. But before he could get a page in, the sound of hurried steps could be heard coming from outside of the clubroom a few moments later the lightly panting form of Yuigahama could be seen grinning widely as she let a loud and cheerful 'Yahallo' resound through the room. Turning towards the pinkette, she smiled at her clubmates and bounded over to her seat. As they fell into their usual light and amiable atmosphere, though seeing Hachiman stare at the doorway like he was expecting someone did draw their attention.

"Is there something bothering you Hikigaya-kun?" Yukino asked in a worried tone, pulling the man's attention from the door as he looked at her.

"Ah, no, nothings wrong. Was just expecting to see Saki pass through with Yuigahama." He drawled as the raven haired beauty tilted her head in confusion, Yui stiffening a bit before pouting at the young man.

"Mou, weren't you expecting me too, Hikki?" The pinkette pouted as she puffed her cheeks at him, Hachiman sighing as he moved to pat her head.

"Yes, yes, you too." He droned as he automatically acted solely on his innate and recently strengthened 'Onii-chan Instincts' that indicated that he comfort the pouting child in front of him, all chatter ceasing as he gently stroked and patted Yui's head.

"Ah! Uhm! Hmmm! Haa..." Yui sounded as she squirmed under his skillful hands, slowly but surely melting into it as she began to press her head against his hand with a bit more force.

The sight of the two having a bit of an intimate moment without a care of there being witnesses, Komachi soon had a pout of her own appear as she moved closer to her brother and displayed her own head for him to rub. Pausing when he saw her lower her head, he sighed with a small smirk before moving his hand from Yui to Komachi. The face of the younger Hikigaya brightening, Yui soon had a disappointed and envious look cross her face while Yukino shifted slightly in her seat. Mentally waging war in her mind as to offer her own head for him to pat or not, the one-sided amiable silence was broken when Hachiman's cellphone sounded. Shifting slightly to remove his phone from his pocket, he unlocked it before seeing a message from Saki.

['_Sorry Hachiman, Taishi called me and asked if I could pick up Kei-chan since he was invited out with his friends. I hope that we can walk home together tomorrow, only if you want to though. And don't forget about lunch tomorrow either!'_]

Reading though the message, he nodded as it explained Saki's absence. Removing his hand from Komachi's head, to her dismay, he idly texted back in the affirmative and positive to both of her questions for the next day's activities. Putting away his phone, he was about to return to his book only to freeze when he felt the piercing stares of three persons. Stiffly craning his neck, he sweat a bit at the ominous and dubious stares his three clubmates were sending his way. About to comment as to the nature of their stares, he heard his phone ring as he slowly pulled it out once more, seeing that Saki was attempting to call him.

"Uhh, I'll take this outside..." He said slowly as he rose out of his chair, feeling two pairs of hands place themselves onto both of his shoulders.

"Ne, why don't you just answer it here, Hikki!"

"Come'on Gomi-chan! It's not nice to leave Saki-chan waiting!"

"I would prefer that you answer it here, Hikigaya-kun. It would be in the best interest of everyone present if we could hear your call with Kawasaki-san, to ensure of course that you are indeed having an amiable, though that may be difficult for an anti-social and husk of a human being such as yourself, conversation."

"Senpai... Who could you possibly be calling? Are you perhaps cheating on your adorable and sweet kohai with someone?"

While he was expecting the first three phrases, though Yukino's assessment chipped his heart, it was the fourth that made him jump slightly. Turning his head, he saw the scary and icy smile of Iroha as she peered at him. Quickly scanning the faces of the girls and seeing no alternative, he resigned himself and accepted the call, bringing his phone to his ear and blinking in surprise at the voice on the other end.

[_'Ha-chan! Hi hi!'_]

"Ah, hey you! How're you?" Hachiman replies with a warm smile spreading across his face, the faces of the four young ladies paling considerately as he laughed handsomely from the words he was receiving.

[_'Ha-chan, Saa-chan is buying things for dinner right now so I'm using her phone! Ah! Ha-chan, Saa-chan said that you're going to go home with her tomorrow, do you think you can you come visit me?_']

"Is that so? And I'd love to, we can make a date out of it then, how does that sound?" He asked in a laughing tone, his use of the word 'date' practically shattering the psyche and hearts of the four as the lid on one certain kohai blew.

"Who!? Who is it you're talking to?! You agreed to only go on dates with me, Senpai!" Iroha shouted in a tone of complete and utter jealousy, startling everyone as she stomped up to Hachiman and glared hard at him as envy and disbelief burned in her eyes.

[_'H-Ha-chan, a-are you in trouble for t-talking with me?'_]

"No, no! Not at all, just give me a second ok? I'll call you right back!" Hachiman reassured the child in a soft tone before hanging up, his soft expression freezing over as he turned a level and disappointment stare at Iroha.

"Mind explaining what that little outburst was all about, Isshiki?" He asked the still fuming girl in a level tone, the girl scoffing as she pointed at the phone.

"Did you not hear what I said? Didn't you promise me to only go on dates with me? Who and what was that?" She spat with clear distaste in her tone, the others raising their brows when they finally realized the dating aspects of her questions.

"W-What?! D-Dates with o-only Iroha-chan?!"

"W-What kind of blackmail did you level over the head of Isshiki-san to have her agree to such a vulgar agreement, Hikigaya-kun!?"

"O-Onii-chan?! D-Dates!? W-What is this about dates!?"

The startled and panicked voices of the three others in the room pierced through the silence, huddling around Hachiman as they directed disbelieving and slightly betrayed eyes at the man. The young man feeling his brow twitch in a mix of embarrassment and irritation as he shot a glare at his kohai who was still glaring back at him. A tense few seconds of glaring and staring passed before the young man sighed, the others feeling their anger, betrayal and disbelief melt slightly when they saw his eyes soften as he calmed himself. The glasses wearing youth remembering the wise words of Shiori and Jiro, concerning dealing with slighted women.

"Right, I should probably clear this up before it gets any worse. First off, that phone call was from Keika, Saki's little sister. She just wanted to know if I'd be willing to stop by and see her sometime." He started as the previous anger that they felt faded considerably, the four letting the sighs they were hold out.

"Secondly, Isshiki, those were all practice dates for your whole 'Getting ready for a perfect date with Hayama-senpai' plan. Speaking of which, you gonna ask him out again anytime soon?" He continued as Iroha flushed upon being the subject of debate, eyes falling on her as she fidgeted shyly under their scrutiny.

"S-Senpai! Asking your cute kohai who just recently had her poor, fragile heart broken if she's going to try one more without time to put it back together or practice, are you really that mean!" She countered as she shifted the attention of everyone back to him, the young man sighing as he shook his head.

"Right, my bad. And lastly, when did my personal calls become a public viewing event?" Hachiman asked as the faces of the four reddened slightly, the ladies turning their heads away in an attempt to deny the accusation.

Seeing them opt to ignore his question in order to preserve their dignity, or what was left of it, the raven haired youth merely staring at them before shifting his attention back to his phone. Dialing the number that sat on top of his 'Recent' calls list, he placed it to his ear before excusing himself to the hall. Watching him go, none of the ladies had the courage to go after him, embarrassment from his previous accusation preventing them from following. Though once he left the room, they pressed against the door to hear what the conversation was about.

[_Ah, h-hello? This is Saki Kawasaki speaking.'_]

"You don't need to introduce yourself if I called you and you can see my number, Saki." Hachiman told the silverette in a mirthful tone, hearing a grumble on the other end.

[_'R-Right, just making sure Incase you called by accident ya know. S-So what's up?'_]

"Nothing much. Just calling back to let Keika know that everything is fine. You finish shopping with her?" He replied as a sound of confirmation sounded from the other end, the two falling into an amiable bit of conversation before he had to call it to avoid being rude.

"Alright, well I'll talk with you later, Saki. Tell Keika that I'll see her tomorrow and that I said goodbye." He finished as a sad sounding sigh could be heard from the silver haired young lady, Saki confirming her request before bidding him a fond farewell.

Smiling slightly as he hung up, he locked his phone before re-entering the room, pausing slightly after opening the door when he saw the frozen faces of his clubmates and one Iroha. Blinking at them, he stared for a few seconds before turning to look at the clock. Nodding once he saw the time, he looked back at the ladies in front of him as they recomposes themselves.

"So, we done for today?" He asked in curiosity, the others hurriedly agreeing to avoid being in such an embarrassing situation.

Heading with them to the desk, he started returning his things to his bag as the four chatted with each other to fill the somewhat awkward air. Slowly but surely, that awkward air passed as the smiles and laughs that were echoing through the room became more and more relaxed and genuine. Passing through the door, Yukino paused to quickly lock the door before they made their way to the staff room to drop off the room key to Shizuka. Offering her a farewell, the group of five was about to leave only for a certain kohai to suddenly voice her opinion.

"Ah! Senpai, why don't we go on a date right now!" Iroha suddenly asked as everyone froze in their places, stiffly craning their heads to the cutely smiling girl who suddenly claimed the right arm of the man in question.

"W-What are you talking about!? Onii-chan needs to keep his lovely Komachi company all the way home!" Komachi declared as she quickly secured his free arm, the young girl glowering at the girl opposite to her.

"Can I just go home." He muttered in a tired tone, Iroha puffing her cheeks out at him as he winced at the sight.

Her eyes widening in absolute horror at what she was witnessing, Komachi racked the entirety of her brain for any and all tactics to stop the atrocity unfolding before her. Right in front of her, Komachi was seeing her beloved brother get slowly but surely worn down by a similar but absolutely fake 'cutesy clumsy younger girl' routine that she had already claimed as her own, though hers had a much more refined and adorable 'imouto twist' as she liked to call it. In the midst of thinking, something sparked as she directed a pleading look towards her brother.

"Ne, Onii-chan, can we get something to eat? Your poor, poor Komachi's tummy is running on empty." She moaned in a distressed tone, pressing his arm closer to her chest as she looked up at him with her usual 'puppy dog eyes' while Iroha felt herself twitch at the sight.

"A-Ah! I-I know! Hikki why don't we all stop somewhere to eat!" Yui suggested in a bright tone as she moved in front of him, beaming an equally bright smile at him as Komachi mentally nodded at the assist.

"Eh... What do you think, Yukinoshita? You wanna stop and get something to eat?" He asked the remaining young lady who was unable to join the conversation, beaming a small but warm smile at him before schooling her thoughts and pondering the idea.

"Hmm... I am feeling a tad peckish since we haven't stocked on snacks in the clubroom since the year began. If you would have me, I wouldn't mind accompanying you." She said while her chin dipped into her hand, raising her head at the latter part of her statement to gauge their reactions.

"Heh, guess we're all in agreement then. Any place in particular?" He asked as he managed to untangle himself from both arm locks, pulling out his phone and scanning the local restaurants and fast food places.

"I want a hamburger, Onii-chan!"

"I vote for Italian, Hikki!"

"Senpai, we should get Chinese!"

"I'd prefer something light, perhaps sushi?"

Hearing their suggestions, he sighed slightly as satisfying the wishes of the four was indeed impossible. Swiping through the list of nearby eateries, he found a small diner nearby that had a large menu. Mulling over the thought, he grabbed the attention of the four who had begun trying to justify their choice of cuisine, and showed them the diner. Letting them scan the menu, they glanced at each other before nodding and accepting the choice. With all of them in agreement, he mapped the location before they headed towards their destination, though Komachi had instantly clung to his arm once he let his arm fall.

(Time Skip - Fifteen Minutes Later)

(Scene Change - Gushi Family Diner)

Arriving at the quaint and lovely diner, the excited forms of Yui, Iroha and Komachi hurried the group into the establishment drawing wry smiles from Hachiman and Yukino. Entering, it was indeed lovely and busy as they were quickly directed to a table for for five. Getting their menus, they were weighing the options laid out before them while also balancing their budgets, at least until a young man's voice broke them from their menus.

"Help yourselves, as much as I hate to adhere to the archaic notion that men should foot the bill for their female compaions, my conscious and what's left of my male pride wouldn't let me sleep if I didn't at least do it once." He told them with a noticeable tingle of pink on his face, the faces of the four with him coloring at his offer as they offered shy but grateful smiles at him.

With the reassurance of their male companion, though Yukino was a bit hesitant to take advantage of his kindness, they ordered their food and chatted through the wait for their food. A few minutes passing, the sight of their waiter was a welcome sight when he was accompany with a serving tray with their ordered appetizers. Yui, Yukino and Iroha has ordered the plate of yakitori while the Hikigaya siblings reserved the plate of harumaki. Uttering thanks when he left them all a personal plate, they split the dishes between themselves and enjoyed their tantalizing tastes dancing on their tongues.

"Mmm! The chicken is so yummy!"

"I know, Yui-senpai! Even the scallion tastes good!"

"I must agree, while I have had yakitori in the past, this is notably less greasy! A welcomed change!"

"Mhmm! This isn't just good, it's so good, Onii-chan!"

"Yeah, it's good."

The five enjoying their appetizers, they had smiles and grins as they enjoyed both the food and the company of each other. Quickly enough they were sharing food with each other, though it was mostly on the part of the ladies as Hachiman was soon distracted by his phone. But with how they were currently caught up in the lively and loud atmosphere, he was nearly invisible to the four as they animatedly chatted about mundane things. A few minutes later, the empty plates of their appetizers were replaced with those of their entrees. Excitedly, they dug in and savored the tastes in their mouths before Komachi broke the amiable atmosphere with a simple request.

"Onii-chan, could Komachi have a bite of yours?" She asked as she eyed his pan-fried pork belly with hungry eyes, the man smirking as he picked up a piece and moved to her plate.

"Aaah~" She sounded as she opened her mouth, the other ladies freezing as Hachiman automatically shifted flight paths from her plate to her mouth.

"Mmmm! That is extra yummy, Onii-chan! Here, aaah!" Komachi exclaimed with stars in her eyes, quickly moving to her hambagu and securing a piece before offering it to her brother.

The others watching with disbelieving eyes as he smiled slightly and leaned in slightly to take the offering. Watching him with extra scrutiny, they swallowed slightly as pink dusted their cheeks at the sight of him being so, submissive, towards the excitable girl feeding him. Swallowing a bit harder when they saw his lips wrap around the ends of her chopsticks and part, they nearly keeled over when they saw the affection and mirth dancing in his eyes as he stared at Komachi. Clenching her fists, Yui summoned tomorrow's courage before quickly twirling a fork-full of her mushroom and chicken pasta and shyly offering it to the youth sitting across from her.

"H-Hikki! T-Try some of mine, too!" She offered with a terribly flustered smile on her face which was just as pink as her hair, the man in question gaining a tinge of pink as well as he looked at her.

"R-Right..." He muttered as he reluctantly leaned slightly across the table to take her fork in his mouth, Yui feeling her heart hammer in her chest as she watched him part from the offending utensil.

"M-Mine too, Senpai!" Iroha declared as she held out a forkful of her yakisoba, Hachiman grimacing as he repeated the action of closing his eyes and taking her offering in his mouth.

Returning to his seat, he saw the elated expressions on Yui and Iroha's faces and promptly reddened. Shifting his attention to his younger sister, she was staring at the two with an unreadable expression on her face. Turning to the company situation to his left, he saw Yukino staring at the temari sushi on her plate and shyly flicking glances at him. When she saw him staring, she immediately forced her gaze downwards. Trembling slightly she shakily picked up a piece of her sushi, barehanded, before hesitantly offering it to him as well.

"W-Would you like to try some of m-mine as well, H-Hikigaya-kun?" She asked with a crimson colored face, looking like she was about to cry as the man felt a mental twitch form.

"_Oi, Oi! Don't go doing something like this if your going to cry! I should be the one crying with all of this bullying!_" He shouted in his mind, though he stiffly nodded as her embarrassment seemed to lighten at the sight as he closed he prepared to close his eyes.

"W-Wait! P-Please refrain from closing your eyes, Hikigaya-kun!" She demanded in a hurried tone, the man screaming inside as crimson slowly seeped into his cheeks.

Leaning in with his eyes locked with hers, Yukino felt her heart pounding harder then she ever felt as she watched him edge closer. Her cheeks returning to their previous shade of crimson as a strange feeling began to fill her stomach. Seeing his pitiful look and humiliation coloring his red cheeks, a messy smile soon spread across her face as she found herself growing more and more excited at his current predicament. Finally he took the offered piece of sushi in his mouth, the sight reminding one of a small animal being offered a seed or peanut, before quickly reeling back to his seat to salvage what was left of his pride when he felt her fingers on his lips.

Hurriedly wiping his mouth with a napkin, he downed his water to try and cool his burning face whilst doing so, Yukino was staring at the fingers that she felt his lips brush against while their three remaining companions openly gaped at the scene that recently played out before them. But before things could delve into deeper awkwardness, their waiter returned with their check which Hachiman quickly payed. Almost like he wanted to avoid having to speak with them anymore then he had to, he walked with them out of the diner and parted ways. Seeing as the sun was just barely beginning to set, his worries about them walking home at night were alleviated as they seemed to want to hurry home as well. Swiftly bidding each other farewell, they headed their separate ways, intent on replaying and examining the events at the diner in full detail.

(Scene Change - Chiba: Yukino's Location)

Walking back towards her apartment in a slight daze, Yukino was unaware of the raven haired young lady with magenta tips that was watching her with a curious expression on her face. Her expression only grew more curious when she saw Yukino gently press her pointer and middle fingers to her lips, seeing her cheeks redden as a fond and warm expression graced her face.

"_Ho? What's got Yukino in such a good mood?_" The older Yukinoshita thought with growing curiosity, her brows knitting together slightly when a slightly messy smile graced her face as she shook slightly in what seemed like giddiness.

Her brow furrowing further, Haruno immediately felt as though she had missed out on something noteworthy when she took in her sister's current expression. Stealthily, though she doubted her sister would even notice her standing right beside her in her elated state, Haruno followed her back to their shared apartment, intent on drawing everything from her beloved little sister.

"_Though... If this Onee-chan was a betting woman, it would have to do with a certain 'Monster of Logic' now wouldn't it, Yukino._" She thought with a growing smile marring her face, moving with more purpose in her steps as she shadowed her sister.

(Time Skip - The Next Day)

(Scene Change - Sobu High: Class 3-I)

"Oi, Hikigaya, Miura-san; could you two come up here!" The ever boisterous voice of Shizuka sounded in their classroom, the two class representatives sighing as they trudged to the front of the room as she met them with a stack of papers in her hands.

"Thanks you two! Now, could I get the two of you to hustle down to the student council room? Looks like we're introducing the years reps both before and after the elections this year. Kinda backwards and unnecessary but oh well." She explained as a pair of sighs left the mouths of the two once more, though they nodded and proceeded to leave the room.

Exiting in silence, they traveled in that same silence as Yumiko immediately brought out her phone. Busying herself with reading the texts and messages that she received during class, she tuned out her companion's presence as Hachiman stared out the windows of the hallway. Eventually, they settled into a strangely comfortable silence, Yumiko flicking a glance behind her every now and again as he remained ignorant of her. Soon enough, they arrived at their destination as the blonde opened the door to the room without bothering to knock.

"Shizuka Hiratsuka's class reps." She state when met with the curious stares of the others in the room, scanning and sighing mentally when she saw that no one currently in the room was someone she was friends with.

Moving to a pair of empty chairs, she took her seat as her male companion soon entered behind her. When the others caught sight of em, a few curious stares met him as he opted to ignore them and sit next to Yumiko. As they waited for the meeting to begin, they were keenly aware of the lack of their current student council president's person; Hachiman mentally sighing at his kohai's lack of prudence. A few more minutes of idle chatter passing, the door to the room was opened in a hurry as Iroha stumbled in panting slightly.

"S-Sorry senpais! I-I was helping my homeroom teacher carry today's papers to our class and forgot about the meeting! I-I'm so sorry!" Iroha apologized profusely as she bowed her head, flustering many when she rose and they caught sight of her teary eyes, flushed cheeks and slightly quivering lips.

"I-Its alright!"

"Please don't worry, Iroha-Chan!"

"We weren't even waiting long, no biggie!"

"All that matters is that we're here and ready to start!"

Hearing the comforting and worried voices of her upperclassmen, Iroha smiles brightly as she turned to face each of them, memorizing their faces before freezing when she was the deadpanned expression on one Hachiman. Managing to keep her vulnerable and clumsy facade, she hurriedly turned away before his piercing stare eroded her defenses. Quickly moving to begin the meeting, the attention of everyone fell to her as she kicked off the proceedings.

(Time Skip - Fifteen Minutes Later)

"-nd we'll pick this up next time! Thank you all, senpais!" Iroha ended as she offered the upperclassmen a polite bow, getting thanks in turn for moving things along in a smooth manner.

Seeing them start filing out of the room, she slowly inched her way towards the back of the class where one unsuspecting senpai was waiting for the line to shorten. A sly grin crossing her face, she suppressed the rather cute sounding giggle that left her as she neared arms reach of the raven haired youth. But before should could pounce on him a rather irritated blonde grabbed him by the arm, trying to drag him out of the room as he flinched and resisted the pull on his person.

"Come'on Hikio! What the heck are you waiting for?" Yumiko asked in an irritated and tired tone, obviously wanting to leave as soon as possible.

"Senpai! You didn't tell me you were a class representative!" Iroha whined as she latched into his free arm, directing a betrayed look at him as the two beside her jumped at her sudden appearance.

"Iroha-chan!"

"Isshiki!"

The pair of surprised shouts making her grin, she hopped away from the man and shifted her hold on his arm to his hand. Smiling at the two, she focused on the raven haired youth as he shifted a bit uncomfortably under her stare. The look drawing a curious one from Yumiko, she raised a brow as a bit of a snide smile made it to her face as she placed her hands on her hips and looked at the two.

"Ho? What do we have here? Has your little crush on Hatato finally run its course? Though I have to admit, Hikio? Really?" Yumiko asked in a haughty tone, Iroha freezing as pink colored her cheeks before coughing and releasing her hold on the man.

"A-Ahem! M-Me and Senpai? Come'on Yumiko-senpai, don't make jokes like that! Just look at Senpai and Hayato-senpai! There is, like, a night and day difference between the two! I was just a bit shocked to see him since we had dinner last night with Yui-senpai and Yukino-senpai, that's all! Ha, what a funny joke! This cute kohai of yours feels awfully bad for the poor, poor soul that is going to be misfortune enough to have to be with this poor person of a senpai, Senpai is! Truly, what a poor existence Senpai is." Iroha declared with absolute denial in her tone, smiling brightly when Yumiko laughed at her assessment of both Hayato and Hachiman.

Directing that same grin towards Hachiman, she felt her heart nearly stop when she saw the eyes cleared by his glasses. In place of his usual dead-fish like eyes, a pair of healthy hazel eyes with a slight slant to them were gazing at her with nothing but pain and melancholy swimming in them. Blinking, those same eyes were shifted towards the door as he made his way out. A still laughing Yumiko following suit, Iroha stood frozen as she watched the retreating back of her Senpai, the haunting and chilling revelation that the pain she had seen in his eyes was a pain that she had caused.

"Senpai... That... None of that was true..." She whispered to herself as she hastily wiped away the beginnings of tears in her eyes, gritting her teeth as she stormed back to her class to reassess her current situation.

With Yumiko and Hachiman, the trip back to their class was once again a silent one, but unlike before there was a palpable air of awkwardness between the two. Though she was on her phone, Yumiko already knew what the atmosphere was about, her glances at the man walking ahead of her tinged with guilt and shame as she was a bit muddled over the scene a moment earlier. She hasn't intended to laugh that hard at his expense, she didn't like defaming people like what happened earlier but the way Iroha had so vehemently argued against the raven haired youth was such a contrast to her cutesy appearance that she couldn't contain her laughter at the sight. But looking back now, she must've looked like a 'bitch' as most would so eloquently put it, and the thought didn't sit well with her.

"Err... Hikio?" She called out in an awkward tone, the man slowly slightly as he turned to glance her.

"Hmm?" He sounded in his usual disinterested manner, the blonde sighing mentally as she caught up to his pace.

"Sorry about laughing at you earlier. It wasn't right, especially since you've helped me out a couple times." She said in a guilty tone, Hachiman raising a brow slightly when he heard the apology.

"Mmm, don't worry about it." He quipped as he resumed his pace, Yumiko feeling her brow twitch at his less then stellar reaction to her apology.

Sighing as she knew the outcome of chasing after his reaction would only serve to infuriate her further, she opted to return to her phone as they carried on their way. Arriving back in their class without issue, they returned to their seats after greeting their teacher. Passing through through the rest of the period, which was self-study, the bell for lunch rang as the class filed out or lined desks together. As he returned his books to his bag, Hachiman felt a slight tug on his sleeve and saw Saki standing beside him with a small smile on her face.

"Lunch?" She asked in a soft but sweet tone, Hachiman nodding as he secured his bag and left the room with the silverette.

"Hikki! Yahallo!" The ever cheerful voice of Yui called as she spotted the raven haired youth exiting the classroom, Hachiman and Saki turning to see her grinning widely at them while closing the distance.

"Yo."

"Hello."

The deadpan and calm voices of the two returned as she stopped in front of them. Beaming a bright smile at Hachiman, it turned slightly strained when she saw the bento the two of them were carrying. Shifting a bit on her feet, she saw the hard eyes of Saki as the silver haired girl had most likely assumed what the pink haired girl was doing so close to their class.

"A-Are you having lunch outside today, Hikki?" She asked with a slight stammer, Saki softly clicking her tongue as Yui mentally smirked upon hearing it.

"Mhmm, guessing you're going to join?" He asked as she brightened up considerably, hopping beside him as they made their way to the rooftop.

"Hehe, since you insist I guess I'll join you!" She giggled with a warm tone, Hachiman sighing though the small smirk on his face spoke of how he truly felt.

Heading ahead at a slightly faster pace then his companions, Yui and Saki met the stare of the other as the pinkette offered the taller girl a slightly haughty smile, Saki merely scowling slightly before moving closer to Hachiman before bumping shoulders with him slightly to Yui's horror. A small frown marring her face, she mirrored Saki's action and clung close to the raven haired youth as they reached the rooftop.

"Oh? Sakisaki! And you brought Hikitani-kun! And Yui-chan!" Ebina called out as she waved at the group, Yui's eyes shining as she raced to meet her friend.

"Hina-chan! I haven't seen you during lunch time since the year started, so this is where you've been!" Yui demanded with a pout as she glowered at the red-rimmed girl, Ebina placating the pinkette the best she could as the two with her moved to sit down.

Falling into a comfortable set of idle chatter, Yui and Ebina animatedly talked and caught up with the other. Seeing them talking without the strange tension that was usually hanging over them while in last year's home room, Saki and Hachiman simply smiled and let them have their moment. Whilst doing so, Saki kept sneaking glances between her phone and Hachiman. When she saw Yui pull Ebina towards the fencing overlooking the schoolyard, she swallowed her fear and angled her phone slightly before stealthy taking a photo of her male companion as he read his book.

Swiftly shifting the phone, she snuck a glance at the stolen photo before a blush colored her cheeks at the quality of the photo she had stolen; depicting a rather handsome Hachiman, illuminated with the sun's rays with his eyes shining with intrigue and mirth at the book in his hand, he looked absolutely breathtaking in the humble opinion of the silverette. But even with her new favorite photo, it wasn't quite enough for the silverette as she leaned towards the man.

"S-So, what're you reading, Hachiman?" She asked while hiding and angling her phone for the imminent photo, Hachiman glancing at her for a brief moment before shrugging and humoring her.

"A book my old boss recommended to me. It's just some light novel, but it's a bit denser then most." He replies as she nodded slightly, catching a particular line as she was trying to make herself less suspicious.

[_'It was then that Ryuji embraced the retreating form of Selene, stopping the white haired knight from returning to the castle. Stiffening at his touch, she struggled as the walls of her heart crumbled, pearl like tears falling from her eyes as she doubled her efforts to escape. _

_"Selene wait! It's not what you're thinking!" He shouted as she broke free from him, whipping around and slapping him with anger and pain etched onto her face. _

_"Not what I'm thinking? Not what I'm thinking!? Y-You bastard! You were kissing her! What else is there for me to think!" She snapped at him, Ryuji flinching as she started laughing bitterly. _

_"Of course, who was I to get my hopes up? You're the hero of this world and she is the princess, heir to the __throne. Me? I'm just a lowly knight, someone meant to serve the two of you in your lives and support you through your endeavors. Hahaha, I was such a fool... You, the hero, falling for a cold, crude and boyish woman like me? What an absolute farce. Your kindness was just that, kindness..." The white haired knight chuckled with tears of sorrow falling from her eyes, Ryuji unable to bear it any longer as he embraced the crying knight. _

_"I love you, Selene! That kiss was from the princess to say goodbye, that's all! You, you're the one that I love! Selene Kristin, head knight of the kingdom's order, are the only that this foolish hero loves!" He declared as he locked lips with her, Selene's eyes widening before closing as she embraced the hero back.'_]

Quickly Saki forgot about the photo endeavor and found herself reading the passage intently, Hachiman noticing this as he smirked slightly seeing her get immersed in the book. When she reached the bottom of the page, she reached over to turn it only to freeze when realized what she was doing. Flushing deeply, she looked away as Hachiman laughed at her, the poor silverette wanting to crawl away and hide in a hole. But she was broken from her embarrassment when he held a book with a familiar looking character on the cover.

"It's the first volume. I forgot to take it out since I haven't cleaned out my bag the last few days. Also, the hero is kind of a raijuu piece of trash until he meets Selene." He said as she offered him a thankful but embarrassed smile, the silverette quickly opening the book and reading.

Soon enough the bell rang signaling the end of lunch, the two groups were brought out of their own worlds as they apologized for their lack of attention towards each other. But seeing that they weren't too lonely, they merely smiled and headed back towards their classes. Saki and Hachiman split from Ebina and Yui as their classes sat on opposite sides of the school, the two walking in relatively amiable silence as Saki asking questions about the book he had shared with her, namely regarding the white haired knight that seemed to have grabbed her attention.

(Time Skip - End of School Day)

"Hikki! Let's get going!" The cheerful voice of Yui called out towards the pair who exited the class, Hachiman and Saki staring at her as she waved energetically at them.

"Mmm, lets." He said as they leisurely made their way towards the clubroom, Saki and Yui surprisingly getting along as they idly talked about a few mundane things Hachiman failed to find interest in.

A few minutes passed before they reached the familiar sight of the clubroom, the trio entering and finding Komachi chatting it up with a smiling Yukino. The pair catching the sight of the three, they smiled and offered their greetings as they joined them at the table. A light and amiable atmosphere taking hold, they passed the hour in record time before it came time to part. But to the shock of the three ladies in the room, Hachiman wasn't going to head home alone, Saki shyly but happily smiling as she stood shoulder to shoulder with him.

"Onii-chan, are you going home with Saki-chan?" Komachi asked in a curious tone, her older brother nodding as her demeanor dropped slightly.

"Umm, a-ah! Komachi-chan, since we have the day off tomorrow we can all have a sleepover! Yukinon, you too!" The pinkette declared as Komachi and Yukino blinked and mulled over the thought before meeting the gaze of the other, soon they nodded and Yui beamed a bright smile at the two.

"Mhmm! That is a grade-A idea, Yui-chan!"

"I think it would be fine for us to spend the night together, it would promote our kinship as clubmates."

The three soon growing excited, they remembered the pair standing beside the. Nodding at the trio, Saki and Hachiman bid them farewell but not before Komachi demanded a goodbye kiss from the glasses wearing youth. Startled by the response, the ladies were about to protest asking for such a thing only for Hachiman sigh before he leaned towards her and kissed her gently on the temple. Grinning and giggling, she skipped ahead of her two companions as the three remaining girls glowered at the raven haired youth. Before long, Hachiman bid the others farewell as he started to move, Saki shouting at him before running to catch up to him, a Yui and Yukino following suit with Komachi.

"Tch, jerk." Saki muttered as she stomped beside him, her mood only worsening when she saw the smirk on his face.

"Come'on, Keika is probably going to cry if we take too long." He warmed as Saki stiffened, her eyes narrowing as she grabbed the wrist of the man and dragged him to her house.

(Time Skip - Fifteen Minutes Later)

(Scene Change - Kawasaki Household)

"Ha-chan! You came!" Keika cheered as she bolted from the house, becoming a silver rocket as she tackled the man.

"K-Kei-chan! S-Stop that! It's rude! Sorry, Hachiman, she's a little excited." Saki scolded in an embarrassed and scolding tone, directing an apology to the man as he patted the girl's head.

"It's fine, I expected it." He said with a small smile, Keika grinning as she moved to hold onto his hand.

"Ne, ne! Ha-chan, are you going to stay for dinner? Kaa-chan and Tou-chan have been wanting to meet you! Saa-chan and I talk about you all the time!" Keika asked as Saki choked on her spit, hurriedly denying any and all statements concerning the man.

But her hopes were dashed when she saw the raised brow on his face, the steaming and red faced girl rushing into the house to hide her embarrassment as Keika merely giggled at her silly behavior. With the pair still at the door, Hachiman was about to bid the young girl farewell only to see that she had her 'puppy dog eyes' turned to the maximum. Grimacing greatly as he tried to dissuade her from utilizing those cursed eyes, a pair of voices made him freeze in place.

"Oh? Who is this?"

"Keika, who is that?"

The man stiffly craning his head, he saw two older people with groceries held in their arms, the woman having a smile on her face as she waved at him while the man had a rather unnerving look on his face. Gulping, he racked his mind to find an out to his current situation only for Keika to hug his hand to her chest, Hachiman nearly screaming when the silver haired man's brow twitched at the sight.

"This is Ha-chan! Ha-chan, that's my kaa-chan and tou-chan!" Keika said with a bright smile, the faces of the two softening when they saw that it was the youth that had helped their daughters.

"Ufufu, well Ha-chan, would you stay for dinner? I don't mean to sound full of myself but I happen to make a great sukiyaki."

"We insist, it'll give us a chance to get you know you better and to find out what kind of... Relationship you have with our daughters."

Wincing at the pressure the two adults were exuding, Hachiman turned towards Keika for help only to see her grinning widely at him. Sighing, he offered the two a slightly strained smile as he bowed slightly towards the two older Kawasaki.

"I-I'll be in your care then."

* * *

**And that's a wrap. Thanks for reading, stay ****awesome. **


	5. Chapter 5

"Yo." - Person Talking

"_Yo_." - Person Thinking

**And here is a sudden new chapter. Let's a go. **

* * *

"_I-I'll be in your care then._"

Those words had sealed the fate of one Hachiman Hikigaya, the raven haired youth entering the living room of the Kawasaki residence with tentative steps. Keika was leading him into the cozy feeling house by the hand, pointing out various different sentimental items that decorated her house. Idly nodding and offering a comment here and there, the pair alongside her parents made it to the living room as Taishi, Takao and Satou were watching TV.

"Ah! Onii-san, you're here!?" Taishi suddenly said with a bright tone, Hachiman feeling his brow twitch at the overly familiar tone.

"Yo. Pardon the intrusion." Hachiman said as he bowed his head slightly, Taishi grinning as he moved to chat with the raven haired youth to his utter despair.

Seeing him interact with their children so naturally, Sanae had a smile on her face as Suki, Takao and Keika began to fight for his attention. While it may have been heartwarming to his wife, Takahashi felt a part of his soul chip with each hug and pout his precious daughters shared with the young man in front of him.

How long? How long has this intruder, this outsider, indulged in the pouts, smiles and hugs of his precious daughters? How could he, someone who just waltzed into the lives of his daughters, experience such joys when he, their father, have been denied those very joys, at least from his now rebellious eldest. As he entered a depressive slump, Takahashi's head dropped as his wife merely giggled at him in a knowing manner. Returning her gaze to the laughing and smiling children trying to clamber onto the resigned form of Hachiman, she saw him shoot her a pleading look as she gained a glint to her eyes.

"I'll go start dinner then, please, if there's anything you need feel free to ask, Hachiman-kun!" Sanae chirped as she flashed him a mischievous smile, Hachiman feeling his despair grow as he racked his mind to free himself from the ironclad holds on his arms, legs and waist.

"Let me help out." He blurted on instinct as his habits helping in the kitchen with Jiro kicked in, the corners of Sanae's lips quivering before a coy smile crossed her face.

"Ara, are you tying to woo me too, Hachiman-kun?" Sanae teased as the raven haired young man froze, feeling a piercing stare from Takahashi as the man's brow furrowed.

"Ufufu, I'm just teasing, Hachiman-kun! I'll be fine by myself, I'm not a wife and mother for nothing!" She reassured him before moving to the kitchen, Hachiman letting a sigh leave as he was once again hounded by the younger Kawasaki children as Taishi tried to reign them in.

As he continued to watch Hachiman get tugged, pulled and fought over by Keika, Takao and Satou; Takahashi couldn't help but crack a small smile when he took in the younger man's current expression. Clearly he wasn't too enthusiastic about being made a human rope for their little game of tug-of-war but the twinkle in his eyes and the small smirk that was plastered on his face spoke volumes about how he felt inside. Even the way Taishi was trying his hardest to not laugh in the face of his senpai was a telling sign about the closeness of their relationship.

The wait for Sanae to cook wasn't a long one, Hachiman finding that entertaining three young Kawasaki children helped pass the time quicker then he'd like to admit. Within the hour, the young man was seated at the table with Keika and Taishi flanking his sides. Across from him was Takao and Satou, Saki sitting to the far left of the table as she shot flustered glances every now and again. Watching their eldest was Sanae and Takahashi who were sitting on the ends of the table, a look of surprise on their faces as they took in the sight before them.

The shy and embarrassed expression on the face of Saki was a foreign one to both Takahashi and Sanae, but no less a welcomed one, at least for Sanae. Seeing such a maiden-like look on her usually rough and blunt daughter was a well of teasing material for Sanae, a knowing giggle leaving her mouth as Saki snapped to stare at her with an absolutely pitiful and pleading look in her eyes. Giving her a playful wink, which only drew greater distress from her eldest, Sanae turned to focus her gaze on the young man who managed to work his way into the heart of her Saki.

For Takahashi, he felt his world crumbling when he took in her flustered expression. For the life of the large man, he was unable to find an instance of the face she was making in his memory of the past few years. Why? When? How much time had passed since his little girl was making grossed out faces at the thought of boys? However, it wasn't just the act that Takahashi wasn't able to remember his eldest making such a face, but the feelings that shone in her expression. Those hidden feelings nearly caused him to pass out in his chair, the glittering twinkle that sparkled in her eyes whenever she asked Hachiman to pass a dish or when she offered him a dish, it was absolute torture for the man. The Saki that he had raised and loved was a girl who didn't let feelings, at least those unrelated to her family, dictate her life.

"Oh? That so, Taishi? I thought it was just at the supermarket that you tripped onto a lady?" Hachiman questioned the horribly blushing and embarrassed young man, Taishi frantically trying to clear him of the suspicious gaze his mother was sending him.

"Ufufu! I know, it sounds hard to believe but he doesn't have the best sense of balance." Saki giggled as she teased her brother a bit more, Taishi letting a pitiful groan leave as he buried his burning face into his hands.

That sound, the sound that reminded Takahashi of a time where his little girl was an actual little girl, a time where she giggled at everything she found enjoyable or adorable, which mostly came from him. Hearing Saki giggle, giggle not laugh or chuckle but an actually delicate and maiden-like giggle, broke the bastions of Takahashi's restraint as a fleeting memory of the last time he had made her giggle entered his mind.

His head dipping a bit, he gained the concerned stares of everyone present as Sanae worriedly placed her hand on his shoulder. But when a humorless chuckle left him, she froze before a tired sigh left her mouth at what was to come. Raising her head, she offered Hachiman a wry and apologetic smile as the young man felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand in turn. Slowly, he began to connect the dots as Takahashi rose to meet his anxious gaze with a somewhat crazed one of his own.

"So, Hachiman was it? I hear you've been taking care of my kids." Takahashi said in a stern and powerful tone, Hachiman stiffening out of reflex as he nodded his head.

U-Ush. Hachiman Hikigaya, sir. And it's more like I've been in their care, sir." Hachiman answered as he dipped his head as a sign of respect, Takahashi feeling his brow twitch when he saw the action.

"_Does this boy think showing a little bit of respect will get him in my good graces? It'll take more then that, kid. And what do you mean you've been in their care?! A man shouldn't be relying on others for his troubles, especially not my adorable kids!._" The elder Kawasaki thought with twitching brows as Sanae laughed a tad wryly, Saki blinking as she scowled a bit at her father.

"Dad, could you stop being so rude?" Saki asked her father in a heated tone, Takahashi feeling a piece of his heart break when he saw the irritation and vexation in her eyes.

"Yeah, Tou-chan! Stop being mean to Ha-chan!" Keika added with puffed out cheeks, the poor man coughing up a bit of blood as his beloved daughters' piercing words struck him.

"Mean, Tou-chan!"

"Meanie, meanie!"

Came the simultaneous chirps of Takao and Satou as they joined in on the brutal assault against their father, though the grins on their faces contrasted greatly against their piercing words. Faced with the relentless and merciless words and stares of his children, Takahashi lost all feeling in his body as he slumped over. Falling into the table in a slow and shaken manner, taking extra care to shift the tableware away during his descent, he laid prone as the chatter and lively atmosphere stilled.

"Now, now, your Tou-chan is just so happy that Hachiman-kun has been taking such good care of you! Isn't that right dear!" Sanae said in an attempt to ease her hopeless husband's situation when she saw her beloved's over-dramatic reactions, the younger Kawasaki children giggling before grinning while Saki shyly followed.

"R-Right... T-Thanks for takin' care of my kids." Takahashi said in a shaky tone while rising as he clutched at his chest, dipping his head towards Hachiman as the younger man winced at his current state.

"_Oi, oi! Come'on, Takahashi-san! Don't let Saki, Satou, Takao and Keika's words break you down! Though, I do feel some sympathy if those three were snapping at me._" Hachiman commented in his mind as he offered him a wry smile, a semi-comfortable air taking hold as Takahashi remained sullen as Keika still refused to look at him.

The rest of their meal was followed by various questions that Sanae asked Hachiman concerning his relationship with her children. Much more gentle and good natured then her husband with her choice of words, the parents of the household felt a warmth spreading through their bodies as he recounted the various events that he was involved with concerning the Kawasaki children. Seeing someone so close to their children, namely Saki, brought smiles that weren't simple pleasantries. Though, when a particularly mischievous and sly smile graced Sanae's face, all pleasantries fell apart.

"I'm so glad that you're so close to my children, Hachiman-kun! Once again, you have our thanks for taking such good care of them!" Sanae stated once more as Hachiman merely nodded his head, having become a bit more used to her praises.

"It's no trouble, really. And Saki always helps me out when I ask, so the feeling is mutual." Hachiman said as Saki smiled in a shy and clumsy manner, Takahashi twitching once more while Sanae mentally pumped a fist at his choice of wording.

"Ara? Mutual? Then I can assume that you two will be dating soon!" She exclaimed with a bright and eager tone, the blood draining from the faces of Takahashi, Saki and Hachiman.

"R—Really!? Then you really will be my Onii-san, Onii-san!" Taishi cheered with a bright tone, Hachiman feeling his soul chip from the outrageous claim.

"Yay! Ha-chan will be my Onii-tan!"

"Ha-chan will be Onii-chan!"

"Onii-chan, yay!"

Keika, Takao and Satou added in equally excited tones, the three panicked souls finding themselves panicking more when they saw how happy the trio were.

"M-Mom! What the heck are you talking about!? W-We're not like that!" Saki shouted in a tone of absolute mortification, Sanae merely tilting her head as she flashed her a knowing smile.

"But you two make such a cute pair, isn't that right dear?" Sanae sang as she turned to her husband, her smiling face turning wry when she saw him sitting with a completely out of touch look on his face.

"_Ah, Tou-chan! Welcome home, I missed you!"_

_"I'm not going to bed until I get a good night kiss!"_

_"Nu-uh! Boys are icky, Kaa-chan! I'll marry Tou-chan when I grow up!_"

His eyes watering as distant and beloved memories sprang to the forefront of his mind, Takahashi shielded his eyes with his forearm as tears streamed down his face. The others looking on with shock and confusion, though Sanae was merely sighing at his overly dramatic reaction, Takahashi shook his head as lamented the cold, hard facts that were laid out in front of his eyes.

"My little girl is going to leave me!" He cried as Saki felt nothing but embarrassment and horror fill her body, snapping to look at Hachiman as a rather uncomfortable expression crossed his face.

"D-Dad, stop it! You're embarrassing everyone!" She snapped at her father in a heated and pleading tone, her demand only causing more tears to stream down his face.

"You said you all boys were icky, that you would only marry your Tou-chan! Ahh, my little Saki is going to leave me all alone!" Takahashi wailed a bit harder as Hachiman excused himself to the kitchen, Saki watching him go with wide and horrified eyes before snapping to glare at her father.

As Saki started to snap at Takahashi, her siblings were soon laughing and joining in on the chaotic energy that filled the dining room while Taishi seemed a tad lost. Sanae had slipped out to follow Hachiman, both curious as to why he had wanted to leave to the kitchen rather then just home and to tease him a bit more about his relationship with her eldest. When she entered, she saw him leaning against the counter with a wry smile on his face, Sanae blinking when she heard a rather strange request from the young man.

(Time Skip - Twenty Minutes Later)

"-nd I never told you that I'd marry you when I was younger! That was Keika and Takao who told you that, not me! And furthermore, why would you even say that in the first place!? In front of guests no less!" Saki spat out in a heated and mortified tone, Takahashi merely staring ahead with blank eyes as the realization that his eldest was growing more rebellious cracked his heart further.

Just as the depths of despair were about to finalize their hold on his heart, Takahashi and the rest of those still in the dining room smelt something sweet and delicious waft in the air. The rough and heavy air being replaced with one of curiosity and intrigue, the followed the trail of the scent as the sight of Hachiman and Sanae walking into the dining room with a tray held in the hands of the youth while she had a tray with glasses of milk.

"You made dessert?" Takahashi asked in a surprised tone, Sanae smiling before shaking her head and gesturing to Hachiman.

"No, Hachiman-kun wanted to make something for us all since he felt guilty about not bringing anything to dinner." Sanae reported as everyone turned to look at the young man, Hachiman coughing slightly as he placed the tray on the table.

"It's not anything special, really. My boss made it all the time as a snack for us part timers." Hachiman explained as he gestured to the fluffy looking treats, the younger Kawasaki children drooling as they basked in the warm glow of the pastries.

Currently resting on a simple sheet pan was an assortment of puff pastries with a golden brown crust. The mundane yet tantalizing treats broke the bastions of restraint that the younger Kawasaki children had, each of them racing to grab a pastry before delicately taking a bite. A soft and flaky crust soon gave way to a buttery and velvety inner shell, which then melted into a rich and creamy chocolaty core. After that first, tentative bite all hesitation left as they helped themselves to the baked treats.

"Seems like they like it, Hachiman-kun!" Sanae chirped as he breathed a bit lighter, mentally wiping his brow as his impromptu recipe didn't seem inferior as he expected.

"Oh, this is better then the ones at the store!" Saki commented as she helped herself to one of the pastries, her eyes shining before a slightly melting light entered her eyes.

"Huu... W-What about Tou-chan?" Takahashi asked in a pitiful manner as he looked at his children, getting a glare from his younger kids as they shielded the baked goods from him.

"Hmph!" Saki harrumphed as she turned her nose up at him, the poor man losing all traces of color with a shocked expression etched onto his face.

"Ugh, here!" Saki snapped in an angered and embarrassed tone, holding out her partially eaten pastry to her father.

"Ah! Honey look, Saki still loves me!" Takahashi cheered as his stunned and distraught expression practically vanished with the offered treat, Sanae offering her husband and eldest a dry smile as he triumphantly held up partially eaten treat.

"Geez, stop acting like a kid, dad! I'm almost an adult for heaven's sake! I can't be your little girl forever, ya know!" She barked at him in a flustered tone, crimson having practically dyed her face since the end of dinner.

The statement causing her father to choke on the pastry he was eating, he snapped his head to stare at her with an incredulous look on his face. The sight being rather comical with how wide his eyes were, the panic and confusion that danced in his grey orbs along with the crumbs that lined the corner of his mouth; he quickly downed a gulp of milk his beloved had so thoughtfully prepared, he swallowed heavily before firing a volley of embarrassing and infuriating questions towards both Saki and to her horror, Hachiman.

Soon enough, the energy in the Kawasaki household has returned to its usual level, some could even argue that it exceeded that standard. But though crimson faces, tears, accusations and denials were being thrown and shown, the smiles and laughter that echoed through the halls of the home spoke volumes of how at ease and amiable the atmosphere really was.

(Time Skip - Half an Hour Later)

"Thanks again for having me." Hachiman said as he dipped his head in gratitude, warm gazes and smiles being directed towards him as Keika, Satou and Takao moved to hug him.

"Ha-chan, thank you for keeping your promise."

"Ha-oniichan, come again?"

"Come back soon, Onii-chan."

The three told him with somewhat teary voices and equally pleading eyes, Hachiman offering them a small smile as he patted their heads. The action only causing them to hug him harder, it wasn't until Sanae ushered them to let go of him that they did. Taking a few steps back, Hachiman felt a bit of warmth fill his heart at how attached the tykes were to him in the short time they were together.

"Thanks for coming over, Onii-san! I hope that you'll be back soon!" Taishi chirped with a smile on his face, Hachiman forcing himself to not show any visible discomfort with the irritating title or the radiant and happy smile that came with it.

"Y-Yeah, thanks again for coming Hachiman. I'll c-call you later, is that okay?" Saki added with pink colored cheeks, Hachiman offering her a small smile of his own as she returned it tenfold.

"Ufufu, I'll hope to see you soon as well, Hachiman-kun! Certainly now that my kids have gotten so attached to you!" Sanae remarked with a bright and mischievous tone, the young man sighing internally as he nodded and smiled at her wryly.

"Mind if i talk with Hachiman, alone?" Takahashi asked his family as they all blinked at him, slowly turning to look at the paling youth before heading inside.

"So, I saw how Saki looked at you tonight. She likes you, kid." Takahashi said in a nonchalant manner, Hachiman's face exploding in crimson as he choked on air.

Watching the scene unfold in front of him with an amused smirk on his face, he helped ease the younger man's torment by patting him on the back. A few seconds later and with a deeper shade of red on the face of Hachiman, he had his gaze focused upwards as he tried to find a way to end his life without making it seem like murder. But to his distress, he felt the large hand of Takahashi fall onto his shoulders as he braced himself for a blow to the face or stomach.

"Haha, ease up kid, I ain't gonna brain ya, less you got something worth whacking ya for..." The silver haired man chuckled good naturedly, though it did turn a bit scary towards the end of his statement.

"N-No, sir. Just a bit surprised is all." Hachiman quickly said to alleviate the concerns of the larger man, a small smirk crossing Takahashi's face as he heaved a soft sigh.

"Relax kid, you don't seem like the kind of guy to play around with a girl's heart. I know my Saki may seem like a hard headed, intimidating, cold person but she's a complete and utter sweetheart deep inside. Never seen her like that before, not even when she was younger. So, if ya would, hear out a request from her old man and just treat her right, kid." Takahashi requested the raven haired youth in a somber tone, Hachiman feeling his embarrassment melt slightly though it was replaced with a frightening sense of responsibility.

"And one more thing, if ya don't mind." Takahashi asked gently as Hachiman nodded softly, completely untrusting of his voice in his current predicament as the other hand of Takahashi found itself on his other shoulder.

"Don't you get any bright ideas about any kinda kissing or touching her inappropriately, ya hear. My little Saki is way too young for stuff like that, so keep it to hugs and hand holding lasting no more then two seconds. And be sure keep your 'little friend' locked down until you get on your knees and beg her to marry ya, and even then, ya still have to get through me to have her." The large man stated in a tone of complete and utter seriousness, the poor glasses wearing youth trembling horribly as Takahashi grinned viciously in turn.

Lightly patting the younger man on his shoulders, he gripped them before turning Hachiman around. Giving him a gentle push, the raven haired young man stiffly marched towards the street. Watching him go, Takahashi felt a twinge of satisfaction at having successfully run off a potential competitor for his eldest's heart. A content sigh leaving his mouth, he turned around and opened the door only to meet the terrifying stare of his eldest daughter. Disbelief, confusion, embarrassment, anger; a wild myriad of emotions were dancing in the eyes of his daughter as her face retained a stone-cold expression. But soon, the expression fell as crimson flooded her cheeks and tears lined her eyes, Saki shouting the words that were the absolute death of fathers everywhere.

"I hate you!" Saki shouted with a tearful and betrayed tone, rushing to her room as everyone stood a bit stunned by her sudden outburst.

Slowly, they turned to look at the man of the house of Takahashi remained still with his hand on the knob of the door. That same hand slid off of the knob as he fell backwards with a completely pale and shattered expression on his face, his tongue lolling out of his mouth when he hit the ground with a dull thud. A startled cry leaving the mouth of Taishi, he rushed towards his father with Satou in tow; the young man barely managing to lift up Takahashi's upper body as he cried with tears streaming from his eyes.

"T-Tou-san!" Taishi cried towards the heavens as he held his father's limp body, Satou blinking as he poked his father's cheek in curiosity.

"Oh dear." Sanae sighed in an exasperated manner as she rested her hand in her palm, Keika and Takao giggling as they moved to poke at their father's prone form.

Giving her husband a dry look, Sanae moved to help Taishi drag him to the living room before depositing him onto the couch. A soft plop sounding as his body rocked the piece of furniture slightly, Sanae moved to check on her daughter but not before shooting Takahashi one last exasperated look, shaking her head as she exited the room.

(Scene Change - Chiba: Yuigahama Residence)

"Thanks, mama!" The ever cheerful voice of Yui called out towards her mother as she left them a plate of snacks, Sayaka Yuigahama beaming her beloved daughter a smile as she left her to her friends.

Currently gathered inside of Yui's room with said owner were Yukino and Komachi; the three happily munching on the chocolate covered biscuits and tea that were prepared for them by Sayaka. As they settled in, the atmosphere was an amiable one, Yui and Komachi leading most of the conversation while Yukino threw in a few words here and there. Eventually, the topic of conversation began to grow a bit inclusive as Yukino still hadn't branched out towards the interests of her two companions as much as she would have liked, Komachi mulling over another possible topic they could all indulge in before gasping as it suddenly sprang to the forefront of her mind.

"Then, what about Onii-chan!" She chirped as the two choked slightly on their tea, coughing as they tried to ease the pink that colored their cheeks.

"W-What?! H-Hikki!?" Yui stammered as she held her colored cheeks, shyly looking away as Yukino daintily wiped away the remnants of the tea that stuck to her lips.

"I-I agree with, Yuigahama-san. W-Why bring up the topic of Hikigaya-kun so suddenly?" Yukino asked with red coloring her cheeks a bit deeper, Komachi holding her inner turmoil at bay to satisfy her curiosity.

"You two have to admit it too! Onii-chan is so much more different now!" Komachi exclaimed as the two nodded their heads in agreement, the contrast between how he was before and now being startling.

"Mhmm... Hikki looks like a different person now." Yui added with a slightly dreamy tone, her eyes gaining a fond glint to them as Komachi felt her stomach churn a bit.

"It is a startling change. Though, even if he has changed physically, he is still the same brooding, cynical, sloth-like human being as before." Yukino quipped as the others giggled at her assessment, the ravenette offering them a small smile at their agreement.

"But Yukinon, Komachi-chan, Hikki has been acting weird too! Remember at the store, Yukinon? Hikki was working like a normal person! And before he was eating lunch with other people on the rooftop!" Yui suddenly said as she remembered the other changes that befell the man, Yukino and Komachi raising their brows as they hadn't heard of such changes.

"Really, Yui-chan? I know that Onii-chan was working, but who is he having lunch with?" Komachi asked in a curious tone, her mood dampening a bit as he was rather adamant about not eating with her.

"I would also like to know who he would curse to bear the burden of dining with him." Yukino added with curiosity shining in her tone, Yui leaning forward as she gained a rather unsettling and serious expression.

"Saki-chan and Hina-chan." She reported in an equally serious tone, the eyes of the others widening a bit as they leaned a bit closer to hear Yui continue with her explanation.

"And what's more, there's something even weirder going on between Hikki and Saki-chan. They're together in Class 3-I with Hiratsuka-sensei, and the last time I went into their class to help her deliver some papers, Saki-chan was sitting on his desk!" Yui continued as the other girls found themselves growing a tad worried, Yukino feeling an unknown yet familiar ache ebb through her chest while Komachi gripped the hem of her brother's shirt turned her night shirt.

"How close is Kawasaki-san to Hikigaya-kun? I remember him aiding her in her request last year, but I don't recall any other instances where I've seen them interact." Yukino asked as she tried to recall any other memory of the two together, Yui and Komachi following as they furrowed their brows and tightened their focus.

"I mean, Taishi-kun and I have the same class together this year and Saki-chan and Onii-chan brought us our bento. Other then that, I don't think I've seen the two of them hang out outside of school until today; which was really surprising as Onii-chan never agrees to do something like that unless it's important. But then again, Onii-chan is really weak to 'imouto' characters like Saki-chan's who are both cute and a little bit pushy..." Komachi added in a contemplative manner, nodding her head subtly before a sense of gloom entered her person at the realization of the latter half of her assessment.

"I... I also saw something on Hikki's phone that showed that they were closer then we thought..." Yui added in a slightly depressed and defeated tone, drawing curious and nervous stares from her companions as they awaited her answer.

"When.. When we were heading to the club room one day, Saki-chan mentioned something about Hikki using something that she had sent him. When I heard that, I checked his phone and saw that Saki-chan sent him a picture of her." Yui explained as Komachi and Yukino gained slightly confused expressions, finding the idea a bit strange but nothing to be too concerned about.

"While I do admit that the idea of someone sending Hikigaya-kun a photo is a ludicrous one, it isn't one that is unheard of. We also took and sent a photo to him once before, have we not, Yuigahama-san?" Yukino explained as Komachi found herself nodding in agreement, a harmless photo wasn't anything to be concerned with after all.

"And I think so too, but it was what the photo was that makes me think something is going on between the two of them." Yui stated as the two grew a tad anxious once more, motioning for Yui to continue as she gained a slight grimace on her face.

"That photo was of Saki-chan with her hair down while making the victory pose. While I wouldn't think it's a big deal normally, she had a huge blush on her face and her smile and eyes... They were just, shining..." Yui explained in a tone that was a mix of understanding and defeat, Yukino and Komachi growing quiet as they mulled over the facts they were given.

"...W-Well, Onii-chan hasn't told me anything yet, and neither has Taishi-kun. If anything would have happened, this Komachi would be the very first to know!" Komachi exclaimed in a sure and shining tone, Yui and Yukino looking at her before a soft set of giggles left their mouths at her declaration.

"You're right, Komachi-san. If there were anything suspicious between the two of them, no doubt you siblings would be the first to know. Even if Hikigaya-kun has changed in such a manner, it would take more then just a few days of talking and having lunch for such a drastic change in one's relationships to take place." Yukino added with a soft nod of her head, taking a sip of her tea as her nerves slowly lost the tension that they held.

"Right! So I say we forget about my dumb Gomi-chan and just focus on having fun! What about you, Yui-chan!" Komachi declared as Yukino had another soft giggle leave her mouth, the pair turning to Yui as she offered them a radiant smile of her own.

"Hehe, that sounds like a great plan! Hmph, dumb Hikki! Doesn't he know that playing with a girl's heart is a one way ticket to pain!?" Yui snapped as they all shared a laugh at the young man's expense, though the light throbbing in the pits of their hearts spoke volumes of how shaken they still were at the startling revelation presented to them.

Deciding to toss aside the topic of the raven haired young man who held a special place in all of their hearts, the trio moved onto the other festivities that Yui and Komachi had conjured for the rest of the night. With a number of board games, puzzles and other forms of entertainment; the duo shared a laugh at the expense of their club president as Yukino found it a bit difficult to keep up with both the energy and experience that her fellow club members held. But slowly and steadily, the laughs of the two began to grow quieter and strained before stilling completely as the raven haired beauty started to understand and grasp the intricacies that the games they played held. Before long, Komachi and Yui were both pressed to defend against the genius that was Yukino Yukinoshita, sweat dripping from the brows of the two as she stared them down before continuing on with her ruthless assault.

"I'll play this 'Plus Four' card and change the color to red, oh and Uno." Yukino stated in an elegant and calm manner, gently placing the card onto the table as Komachi had a horrified expression on her face.

"W-Why Yukinon..." Yui whimpered as she stared with eyes full of betrayal at her best friend, Yukino running a hand through her hair as she kept her eyes closed.

"Apologies Yuigahama-san, but as the two of you had previously stated. 'The game is on', no?" Yukino asked as Yui let her head drop onto the table, tearfully picking up four additional cards from the pile of cards before another whimper left her mouth when she caught sight of her new hand.

"No red cards..." Yui cried as her head impacted the table with another soft thud, Komachi staring with even more abject horror at the completely ruthless domination that Yukino was displaying over their current game.

"I believe that it is your turn, Komachi-san." The older girl stated with a small smile on her face, Komachi gulping as she looked at her hand before looking back to Yukino.

Alternating to glance between the two, Komachi felt the smile and gaze of the older girl growing more and more frigid as she shakily picked a card. Snapping her eyes shut, the poor girl placed it onto the pile of other cards as the sound of a biscuit hitting the table could be heard echoing through the room. The sound making the already shaken girl shake even more, Komachi dared not peek out and face the unnerving gaze of her club president. As for Yukino, she was giving an extra icy gaze towards the top card that now rested on the pile, feeling her brow twitch slightly as the lead that she had so rightfully ripped from the grasp of the two around her was once stolen by the very card she had used to secure it in the first place. Stiffly, she shifted her gaze back towards Komachi as Yui looked at the younger girl as if she were a hero from a story. As if her previous distraught were a figment of her imagination, Yui found herself grinning as she looked at Yukino and her slightly twitching face.

"Nice move, Komachi-chan! We'll beat Yukinon at this rate if we keep things up!" The pinkette cheered as Yukino felt her gaze grow colder at the unspoken truce that her fellow club mates had erected to oppose her rule, turning to stare at Yui who yelped and hid behind her own hand of cards.

"...Well, Komachi-chan... I guess this means war..." Yukino whispered in a frigid and stoic tone, Komachi mentally screaming as she shakily adverted her gaze from the unamused young lady.

"B-Blue..." Was all Komachi could say as the turn shifted to Yukino, the raven haired young lady gaining a small frown as she drew four more cards.

Upon seeing her new hand, she grew even more displeased at the three colors that bore no resemblance to the newly decided color. Her eyes gaining a sharp glint to them, she drew another card as the temperature of the room dropped a few degrees. Yui and Komachi shared scared looks as they shot quick glances towards the still form of Yukino, the two letting out a pair of squeaks when she suddenly locked gazes with them. Soon enough, what was once a clumsy but warm and fun game of Uno had become a frigid and fierce battle for survival as Yui and Komachi combined forces to try and topple the tyrant that was Yukino. But, as they would come to find, toppling a tyrant would prove to be a herculean task, even for such skilled and gifted girls as they.

(Scene Change - Chiba: Hachiman's Location)

With a certain raven haired young man, Hachiman was still walking in a stiff and forced manner as pink stained his cheeks. Never in his life would he have thought that he'd receive an indirect confession from someone's father of all people, more so that it came from Saki's father. If he was honest, he felt his heart flutter a bit at the thought that Saki held a crush on him, the memory of her dazzling smile and attractive features coming to the front of his mind at the thought. But with it came the frightening image of Takahashi and his threatening words, Hachiman shaking his head to rid it of the silver haired man.

"That was rough..." Hachiman muttered in a tired tone, taking a moment to gather his bearing as his mind finally relaxed from the harrowing ordeal he survived.

Taking out his phone, he blinked a bit when he saw that it was just a little past seven. Quickly sending a text to his parents to let them know that he was fine, he glanced around and saw that it was just about sundown, a few people shuffling about as they enjoyed the Saturday evening. A few pairs of couples dotting the grounds, he felt his face heat up a bit when he was reminded of Saki's affections. Forcing those thoughts back down, he made his way back home, praying to any deity that he would make it back without issue. Though, that idea was shattered as he passed through the entrance of a park, a ball rolling and gently bouncing off of his foot. The sudden sensation snapping the youth out of his thoughts, he turned and saw a young girl with a head of fluffy brown hair that brought a strange hint of nostalgia to the front of his mind, Hachiman estimating that she was around Rumi Tsurumi's age.

"_Have I seen her before? No, I don't have a habit of interacting with kids... Wait... Rumi, Keika and now Takao and Satou? Wait just a minute, Hachiman, what do you think you're doing playing around with little kids!? Oi, oi, it's not my fault, I keep getting roped into doing things with them by forces outside of my control. Yeah, that's it. Absolutely none of those events were of my own volition._" Hachiman thought to himself as he kept his gaze on the curious and now slightly unnerved girl standing before him, only breaking from his thoughts when she tried to gain his attention.

"U-Umm... E-Excuse me, but could I h-have my ball back, please?" The fluffy haired girl asked in a meek tone, Hachiman flinching as he snapped from his stupor and glanced down.

Wordlessly, he knelt down slightly and picked the ball up. Turning his gaze back up to her, he offered it to her as her eyes lit up and a small grin spread across her face. Quickly making her way over, she accepted the ball and beamed a bright smile at the glasses wearing youth as Hachiman was unable to resist returning it with a small one of his own. Nodding his head as he rose, he was about to turn to leave when the girl gently tugged at his sleeve. A bit curious but also a tad unnerved himself, Hachiman blaming the horror games and novels that involved grudge bearing children who stalked the living, he glanced at her and offered her a small nod of recognition as she gained a bit of light in her eyes.

"U-Umm, Onii-san, c-could I ask you a question?" The little girl asked in a tone that held a strange mix of guilt and sadness, Hachiman's 'Onii-chan' instincts blaring as he knelt down to her eye level and nodded softly.

"H-How would you f-feel if your little sister called you a b-bad name and told you that she h-hates you?" The girl asked in a pleading and desperate tone as Hachiman quieted and mulled over the question, his furrowed brow growing more and more slack as horror slowly etched onto his face.'

"_If Komachi called me a horrible name and said that she hated me... Hmm... I think I'd..._" Hachiman trailed off in his thoughts as he gained the attention of the little girl with his current expression, the brunette gaining a bit of anxiety as she felt his answer wasn't one she'd find too reassuring.

"I'd die." Hachiman stated with a serious tone and haunted expression, the girl nearly being brought to tears with how unabashedly and grave his answer was.

Upon seeing her devastated expression and the beginnings of tears lining her eyes, panic filled the glasses wearing youth as he quickly scanned the general location for any possible suspects who'd misunderstand the current situation. Mentally breathing a sigh of relief when he saw none, he gestured for the girl to follow him towards the benches that laid beside the vending machines a bit further inside of the park. Stunned a bit shaken by his ruthless answer, she numbly and quietly followed him as Hachiman pulled out his wallet and ordered a couple of drinks for himself and his tiny companion. A can of his favorite coffee out of reach, Hachiman cursing the 'out of stock' light that shone when he applied for it, he settled on a can of green tea while grabbing a carton of strawberry milk. The drinks falling without issue, he sat down beside his current charge and offered her the carton of milk, smiling slightly when he saw her eyes light up at the sight of the beverage. Wordlessly, they enjoyed their drinks as the pair settled into an amiable silence, at least on Hachiman's end. Shifting his eyes, he saw that his drinking buddy wasn't as at ease as he was, the gloomy that she currently bore drawing a concerned look from the youth.

"I said that I'd die, and I probably would if it was my sister, but I'm just exaggerating so no need to be so down about it." He told her as she jumped slightly at his sudden statement, Hachiman desperately holding back a laugh as she stared at him with curious eyes.

"What do you mean?" She questioned in a tone of genuine confusion, Hachiman sighing mentally as he envied the youth of today for their purity and simpleness.

"As long as you apologize and tell them how you really feel, it'll be ok." He explained as her eyes lit up once more, the girl shooting to a standing position as she turned to stare at him.

"Y-You really think so?" She asked with a hopeful tone and eyes, Hachiman simply nodding his head as he stood up and aimed to toss his can into the recycle bin only for it to bounce off the top.

"Mhmm, it'll work out just fine. Should probably get going before it gets any darker, it's dangerous at night." Hachiman told her in a serious tone though his cheeks were colored pink at his recent fail, the girl shivering a bit at the thought of a monster or ghost following her around when the sun went down.

"I-I will! Thank you again, Onii-san!" The girl called out as she bowed towards him in appreciation, Hachiman offering her a small smile and a nod of the head as her face gained a bit of a shocked expression.

"Ah! I almost forgot, Onii-san! My name is-" She started in a tone that held a bit of embarrassment at her lack of manners, only to be cut off by a voice that caused Hachiman to stiffen immediately.

"Haru, where are you!" A feminine voice called out with worry heavily coloring it, the young girl gaining a startled and guilty look as she snapped towards the source of the voice.

"Kaori-nee!" Haru shouted back with emotion thick in her tone, the form of Kaori Orimoto rushing into view capturing the eyes of Hachiman as she sped towards the younger girl.

"You little brat, just what were you thinking running off like that?!" Kaori scolded Haru with an angry but also relieved tone, Haru accepting it without resistance as she latched onto her waist.

"I'm sorry, Kaori-nee! I won't do it again, promise! And I'm sorry for saying those bad things to you, I don't hate you at all!" Haru choked out with tears beginning to run down her face, Kaori quickly losing her angered look as she knelt down to wipe away her tears with the sleeve of her jacket.

"It's fine, Haru. I'm sorry too, so we're even now, ok?" Kaori asked her with affection coloring her voice, Haru sniffling but nodding and smiling nonetheless.

In the midst of their little moment, Hachiman snapped from his frozen state as he began to slowly inch his way away from the pair, more specifically, Kaori. But as fate would have it, the karma that came with littering made itself known as he kicked his improperly dumped can of tea. The sound of empty aluminum being struck gaining the attention of the two in front of him, Hachiman cursed Gaia for imparting such a brutal punishment for his failed shot. For the two girls, they were staring at the raven haired youth with varying expressions on their faces; Haru looked positively radiant and smiled brightly at him for giving her such worthwhile advice while Kaori stared at him with a bit of caution tinting her own brown orbs.

"Thank you again, Onii-san!" Haru called out towards him while waving happily, Kaori blinking at the sight but opting to smile a bit as it seemed the young man before her had watched over her cousin while she was looking for her.

"Thanks for watching over Haru, I really do mean it." Kaori said with a genuine tone of gratitude, bowing slightly as Hachiman felt a complex mix of emotions well up inside of him.

"D-Don't mention it." He replied while trying to alter his voice a bit, Kaori seeming to buy it as she merely offered him a small but thankful smile.

A sigh of relief mentally leaving him, he was about to turn and leave when Haru, while waving her arms around happily, accidentally tossed her carton of strawberry milk at the young man. The carton impacting against the side of his head with a light thump, it expelled the rest of its contents over the man as Haru and Kaori looked on with horrified expressions on their faces. Haru almost breaking down into tears, Kaori and herself rushed over to him while spouting apologies for her action. More concerned about ridding himself of the sticky wetness that now coated him, Hachiman removed his glasses and pulled out his handkerchief to wipe his face off.

Whilst doing so, Kaori and Haru stopped beside him with both guilty and embarrassed faces in tow, bowing towards him and they continued to apologize for what had just happened. But when Kaori rose her head to see how bad the situation really was, she felt her stomach tingle before dropping when she saw a face that appeared to resemble the one had started to appear more and more often while she dozed off. And that assumption was proven to be true when Hachiman finished wiping his head as best as he could, turning to glance at Kaori before freezing when he realized that she was looking at him with a deeply flustered gaze of recognition.

"H-Hikigaya?!"

"Y-Yo, Orimoto..."

* * *

**And that's a wrap. Thanks for reading, stay ****awesome.**


	6. Chapter 6

"Yo." - Person Talking

"_Yo_." - Person Thinking

**And here is a sudden new chapter. Let's a go. **

* * *

"H-Hikigaya?!"

"Y-Yo, Orimoto..."

"_Kami-sama, is this karma for littering? Please, this Hachiman __Hikigaya will never litter again for as long as I live, just let me wake up from this nightmare._" One Hachiman Hikigaya pleaded towards the deities above as he tried to retrain a composed expression in the face of the one person he still had no idea how to interact with, Kaori Orimoto countering his facade with a face with wide eyes full of disbelief.

The brunette currently staring at him like he was some foreign or exotic animal brought unwanted and rather unsavory memories to Hachiman, being the first girl who he had the gall to confess his feelings towards. While the sting of her rejection wasn't as intense as before, Hachiman's views on 'nice girls' not being as warped as it was the year past, it still brought a slight ache to the young man's heart to see and hear her. For the brunette herself, she was simply rendered speechless as the one person who had started to invade her private thoughts and dreams, wholesome and pure ones mind you, had appeared before her, caring for her beloved albeit headache-inducing cousin.

Staring at his face, his usual dead fish-like eyes were clearly in view now that she was so close to him, Kaori couldn't help but simply stare at Hachiman and take in his changed features. Hadn't it only been a few months at most since she had last seen him, when she talked with him about valentine's chocolates? How could such a change have taken place in such short time? When they were practically the same height before, he now stood at least a head taller then her, the brunette guessing that she'd line up perfectly with his chest and shoulders should she decided to lean against him.

Just as the thought crossed her mind, Kaori mentally shook her head to rid it of all impure thoughts as she tried to get herself together. Focusing on his other features to push the image of her leaning against him from her mind, she saw that he wasn't as scrawny as before, his figure being more built then it was in the past, judging from the way that his uniform was hugging his body. His hair was also longer, being tied in a spiky ponytail that actually seemed to fit him, strangely enough. But it was his eyes that hadn't changed the slightest, made even more apparent to Kaori when he finished cleaning his glasses before placing them back on, turning to look at her as her heart froze at the emotions dancing in the charming eyes of the young man before her.

Confusion, anxiety, caution, pain, the soulful gray-hazel colored eyes staring at her filled her with a mix of emotions just as complex as themselves. Why? Why did he have such sorrowful eyes when he was looking at her? Didn't they already make peace and sow the seeds for a fine relationship between each other? Didn't he accept her offer of friendship back when she handed him that plate of chocolates? Kaori wasn't able to make sense of the emotions dancing in his eyes as Hachiman turned away slightly, focusing his gaze on the can he had kicked earlier.

It wasn't just Kaori as Haru could see the tension that filled the bodies of the two older people with her, though she didn't understand what exactly it was that was causing them to feel such tension. For the younger girl, it didn't make a lick of sense why someone who was so kind and had helped her with not only her problem but had stayed with her and got her a carton of her favorite drink, would have a look in his eyes that showed that he was scared or afraid of her cousin. Sure, Haru's cousin could get a bit scary when she was angry, but she was always a nice person who loved to laugh and smile, something that she always tried to get others to do, though she could be a bit overbearing in that regard. But there was something that had happened between the two people with her, something that began to nip at the forefront of the young girl's mind.

"Uh... I'll be going then." Hachiman awkwardly said as he knelt slightly to pick the can back up, offering Kaori and Haru a small nod of acknowledgement as the two brunettes snapped from their stupor.

"Onii-chan, you know Kaori-nee?" Haru asked in a curious and innocent tone, the question instantly causing Hachiman to freeze with his arm outstretched while Kaori gained a slightly muddled expression.

"U-Uhm... Yeah, kind of, I guess..." Hachiman quipped in a slightly uncomfortable tone, Haru gaining a somewhat sour look on her face as she latched onto Kaori's hand.

Still a bit lost in her thoughts, Kaori jumped a bit when she felt herself absentmindedly going along with her cousin as the younger brunette dragged her over to Hachiman. Panic and horror filling her person, Kaori was already far too close to the young man to deploy evasive maneuvers, simply standing before the kneeling ravenette with her young cousin staring down at him. For Hachiman, the young man felt his body cooling and his face paling a bit as he realized what was about to happen; that instant coming true when Haru moved around to lock gazes with him before turning to look at her cousin.

"Kaori-nee, Onii-chan told me that when you think you've made someone sad, as long as you apologize and tell them how you feel, that everything will be okay." Haru said as the older pair with her stiffened at the words of advice, though one seemed petrified while the other seemed like hope had blossomed inside of them.

While Kaori was mustering all the courage that she had for the day, dipping into the courage that was reserved for the day ahead, Hachiman was cursing the careless piece of advice that left his mouth due to his innate 'Onii-chan' instincts being invoked upon seeing Haru's distress. While he did believe in the piece of advice that he had given the young girl, sneaking a glance at Kaori who was looking down slightly with a reddened face, Hachiman winced as he still felt a bit of a sting when he remembered his past with the young lady.

"_Well, guess it's about time to let the past stay where it is. Whatever happened, happened, right? Come'on Hachiman, you can do this. The faster you get this over with, the faster you can get home and finally see the true end to Tsugumi-chan's route! Yeah! Yeah, that's right! Finish this quick and see how best girl's route ends!_" Hachiman mentally told himself as he heaved a soft and tired sigh, though as his thoughts became lighter and brighter so did the tension the filled his body.

"Mmm, I did say that, didn't I..." Hachiman muttered loud enough for the two brunettes to hear, Haru beaming a smile at him while Kaori gained a glint of hope in her eyes as she rose her head to stare at him.

"Ha... Don't get so hung up on the past, Orimoto. What happened, happened. Let's just get on with our lives." He added as he rubbed the back of his neck slightly, the awkwardness on his face present to both of the brunettes as he turned to leave.

"I'll be going then, see ya." Hachiman called back as he left the park, leaving Kaori and Haru alone as the older brunette stared with wide eyes at the shrinking back of the raven haired youth.

"Kaori-nee? Are you okay?" Haru asked in a worried tone, moving to take a hold of the older brunette's hand in an effort to comfort her.

"H-Huh? Oh! Yeah! I'm fine, Haru!" Kaori quipped as she flashed her cousin a smile, Haru frowning a bit but opting to go along with her cousin for the moment.

"Come'on, let's get you back home before your mom calls the police!" Kaori added as Haru turned a bit pale and panicked, rapidly nodding her head as the pair headed back to Kaori's home.

"_What happened, happened, huh... You had better stick to your words, Hikigaya. Only the worst kind of guy will get a girl's hopes up like that only to go back on them._" Kaori thought to herself as a small but hopeful smile crossed her face, turning around to shoot a longing glance towards the direction the raven haired youth had departed in.

With Hachiman, the glasses wearing youth could be seen using his forearm to brace himself against a wall, his free hand clutching at his chest as a whirlpool of emotions danced in his eyes. Confusion, pain, anger, resignation; there wasn't a clear answer as to what Hachiman was currently feeling, the raven haired young man taking a few shaky breaths to ease the tension, mental and emotional fatigue that wracked his body. After a few seconds, letting one last shaky sigh leave his mouth, he stood straight and shot a glance back where he had left Kaori and her cousin. Shaking his head, he continued on his way, intent on making the most of the rest of the night and his day off. But, as fate would have it, Hachiman was brought back to the reality of facing his past when a sudden shout caused him to freeze mid-step.

"O-Oi! Hikigaya! Wait up!" Kaori shouted as she ran towards the frozen form of Hachiman, stopping just short of him with a face red from both embarrassment and physical exertion.

"O-Orimoto? I thought you were heading back home with your cousin?" He asked in a confused and slightly awkward tone, Kaori's red tinted face growing a shade deeper as she laughed a bit while rubbing the back of her head.

"E-Ehehe, well... We met my mom and my aunt on our way back, so I kinda sent them a text that we were at the park and they came as fast as they could." Kaori explained as Hachiman stiffly nodded his head, the situation growing a bit cold and awkward as silence soon took hold between the two.

"S-So... W-Were you serious about what you said before? A-About the past?" Kaori asked in a hopeful after a few more agonizing seconds of tense silence, Hachiman lightly furrowing his brows as a slightly nauseating sensation took hold of his person.

"_What happened, happened, huh... Things don't just disappear on their own, Orimoto. I had to make the commitment to "let it go," and the only reason I managed to do that was because of the people who kept prying into my social life, or lack thereof..._" Hachiman thought to himself as a small and amused smirk softly graced his face, shaking his head slightly as Kaori felt a surge of fear tightly grip her heart.

"That's what I said, didn't I? There's no need to think any harder about it then that." The raven haired young man told the slowly relaxing brunette, Kaori's eyes still having a glint of disbelief shining in them as she directed her gaze towards the ground while fidgeting slightly.

"Geez... You say it like it's the easiest thing in the world, you know that?" Kaori threw back with reddened cheeks, only growing more red when she saw the raised brow Hachiman was shooting towards her.

"You really don't understand girls do you, Hikigaya." She added in a slightly dry tone, her embarrassment nearly evaporating when all she got in turn was a deadpanned stare.

"We wouldn't be having this talk if I did." Hachiman countered dryly as Kaori lost her expression, crimson fully blooming on her cheeks as she adverted her gaze once more.

"H-Hehe... R-Right, sorry..." The brunette laughed out in an awkward manner, silence soon taking hold once again as Kaori slowly craned her head back up towards the raven haired youth.

Had it truly been so long since their last meeting? Where was the young man that she had last seen? The person standing before her seemed like a completely different person from the Hachiman Hikigaya that Kaori remembered, a person that she felt his past self would curse should they ever have met. Thinking back on the last time that they met, the Pre-Valentine's day collaboration, where she gave him the first batch of chocolates that she made; Kaori couldn't help but feel her spirits dampen when she realized that it was then that truly started the sparks that turned into a small but passionate flame for the raven haired young man.

Were those sparks truly sparked then? Or was it when Hayato had called out her and her friend Chika, on their 'double date'? Kaori remembered the feelings of both inferiority and strange bitterness that filled her soul when they excused themselves to leave that day, though was it because neither of them were able to fulfill their desires to get closer to Hayato or was it the lingering thought that filled Kaori's mind when she assumed that one of those girls were Hachiman's girlfriend? Though, the brunette couldn't justify those types of feelings then or even currently, especially with how poorly she had treated Hachiman then. She had no right to feel jealous when she acted like he never existed and have had other state that she was 'out of his league' as Chika had so eloquently put it. Lost in her thoughts, she was broken from them when Hachiman spoke, snapping her attention back to him as he shifted a bit uncomfortably at her attention.

"W-Well, I gotta go, Orimoto. You should get going too, before it gets dark out. You never know what might happen, even in Chiba." Hachiman said in an attempt to end their overly long and awkward conversation, Kaori blinking as she gave a glance at her surroundings and saw that it was indeed a tad darker then it was when she left to find the man.

"Whoa, it did get a lot darker suddenly! And it's only a bit past seven." Kaori noted as she checked her phone for the time, mentally sighing as she saw that Haru was currently safe and at home.

"Mhmm, then I'll be seeing you, Orimoto. Take care." The raven haired young man said as he turned to leave, a soft sigh of relief leaving his body as did his built up tension as Kaori's person finally faded from his peripheral.

But, as the raven haired youth tried to return home, he felt a light tug on the hem of his jacket. A mental scream and sigh passing through his mind, Hachiman turned his head slightly to see Kaori staring at him with an unsettling maiden-like look to her eyes, the brunette doing her best to keep a straight expression on her pink tinted face. Tightening her grip on his jacket, Kaori opened her mouth to speak only to find herself unable to voice the questions that ran through her mind. Soon, the brunette's face began to heat up even more when she saw the confused and slightly disturbed face of Hachiman staring right at her. Quickly adverting her gaze once more, Kaori snapped her eyes shut as she tried to calm herself down, taking a shaky but deep breath before finally finding the resolve to voice one of the questions that ran through her mind.

"W-Would you like to talk some more over coffee tomorrow!?" Kaori practically shouted as she kept her attention towards the ground, her eyes snapped tightly shut to avoid any and all chances to see the reaction of the glasses wearing youth.

"_What... What did I just say?! Kaori you idiot! You just asked the guy who you turned down, out on a date! Wait! Calm down! Calm down, i-its just for coffee! Yeah! J-Just for a bit of chatting and coffee! N-Nothing more! Definitely nothing more!_" The panicking brunette told herself to forcibly calm herself down, though she was still not daring to raise her head to see the unavoidable face of Hachiman.

"I'm sorry, I must've heard you wrong. What did you say?" Hachiman asked in a tone of absolute denial, Kaori freezing before all tension in her body left as the reality of what was happening struck her.

"Heh, I must sound crazy... Huh, Hikigaya?" Kaori countered as she rose her head to glance at the young man's face, feeling a pang of pain and sorrow shoot through her when she saw the skepticism and caution lurking in the depths of his gaze.

"I don't expect you to act all buddy-buddy with me, e-even being friendly must be killing you right now, right? B-But... I... I just want a chance to make up for what I did before... You said that what happened, happened, right? Well... I-I'd just like a chance to get to know you a bit better, Hikigaya. Haha... I-I probably sound like some shallow girl or something, huh?" Kaori explained as she released his jacket from her grip, moving to rub the back of her head as the hollow and forced laughter that left the mouth of the girl resonated slightly with the raven haired young man.

"Ha... You're really dead set on this, aren't you? Wouldn't someone like the prince or his friend be more interesting to talk to?" Hachiman asked in pure curiosity, Kaori having a grimace cross her face as she remembered the cutting and piercing words of the blonde.

"You're not wrong to think that, especially with what happened before. But, Hayato isn't the one that I want to talk to. It's you, Hikigaya." Kaori answered as Hachiman tensed instantly, feeling nothing but dread and horror fill him when he felt his heart almost skip a beat at both her admission and hopeful eyes.

"You really aren't making this easy on me." He quipped as she laughed a bit dryly, her faux smile dimming to a somber and resigned one as Hachiman let out a sigh.

"What time and where." The glasses wearing youth said as Kaori's eyes widened with renewed hope, staring somewhat blankly at him as Hachiman felt his day off grow more and more bothersome.

"R-Right! Give me one second! Let's see... Nope... Too expensive... Tacky... Bad reviews..." Kaori exclaimed as she swiftly pulled out her phone, working quickly as she swiped through the various reviews of the cafes that filled the area.

Watching her concentrate and devote such effort to finding something as simple as a cafe, Hachiman couldn't help but smirk slightly at Kaori. Like he remembered, she was still blunt and spoke her mind without hesitation. Always speaking freely without any consideration towards whoever she spoke to. An overly friendly, yet inconsiderate person when it came to how others feel. But, he could see that she was trying to change, trying to at least make an attempt, an effort, to make herself a better person. No matter how small such an effort or attempt was, it was something that Hachiman could and did respect. So, instead of feeling irritated and irked like he wanted to, he amused himself by watching a frantic Kaori panic while trying to settle on a choice of cafe. A decision that would affect the raven haired young man's life, in both the positive and negative.

(Time Skip - Five Minutes Later)

"There!" Kaori declared in a triumphant manner, having finally decided upon a cafe where the two would meet the following day.

"Mmm. Right then, see you then." Hachiman replied as he pocketed his phone, noting with a slight wince the tiny flash of pain that crossed the eyes of the brunette at his rather dismissive answer.

"R-Right. See you then, Hachiman." Kaori answered in a softer tone, offering him a small and slightly pained smile as the raven haired young man nodded his head before turning around.

"...Need me to walk you home?" Hachiman asked softly as Kaori blinked before having her eyes widen slightly, but just as they did they became a bit half lidded as a soft laugh left her mouth.

"Oh? Charmed already, Hikigaya? We haven't even been on a date, yet you want to walk me home?" Kaori teased in a coy and light tone, obviously in jest as Hachiman couldn't help but crack a tiny smirk at the return of her energetic self.

"See you tomorrow, Orimoto." Said the raven haired youth as he resumed his trek back home, Kaori offering a small but warm smile towards his back as she waved softly at his retreating form.

"See you tomorrow, Hikigaya..." Whispered Kaori as she lowered her hand, clenching it slightly as she let her gaze linger on his shrinking form for a bit longer before turning and heading home herself.

With Hachiman, the raven haired young man found himself falling into a bit of self reflection as he slowly strode home. The entirety of his current thoughts were solely focused on the chance meeting and subsequent exchange with Kaori Orimoto, leaving even the parting words of Saki's father to fall to the wayside in favor of sifting through what had happened. Had he truly changed so much since the last time the two of them had spoken? It had been merely a few months since they had last seen each other, but the exchange between the two was far more pleasant and, dare he say, comfortable. The fact that Hachiman had actually felt somewhat comfortable while talking with Kaori, at least as comfortable as someone who was rejected and ignored by could possible be, was a complete surprise to the young man. It was also a fact that unnerved the young man and struck a melancholic chord within him.

"_...Now I know what Keima-sama and Chihiro-chan felt like in Chapter_ 189." Hachiman thought to himself as a humorless chuckle softly left his mouth, glancing up towards the sky as his laughter shifted to a somber sigh.

Wordlessly, the young man refocused his attention forward as he carried on in silence. While it wasn't the ideal or expected outcome, the promise to meet with Kaori in the coming day was one that he had made. And for the raven haired youth, promises were something that he would do everything in his power to keep, though he would adamantly deny any and all claims of such behavior.

(Time Skip - The Next Day)

(Scene Change - Chiba: Makuhari Station Square)

"_Oi... Oi, oi, oi! What're you doing!? You're really here an hour early?! It's like you're actually excited about this or something!_" Hachiman screamed to himself as he checked his phone for the time, quickly developing a cold sweat as reality of it current situation hit him.

As for said situation, Hachiman could be seen standing in the square of the Makuhari Station with a stiff expression as he tried and failed to wake from the nightmare that he was currently experiencing. Having arrived an hour early from the predetermined meeting time of noon, the raven haired young man was doing his best not to have a complete mental breakdown from the absolutely embarrassing and awkward blunder. Seeing as it was still a 'date' of sorts, as light as a talk over coffee could be considered one, Hachiman had taken the liberty of dressing a bit nicer, something that his mother had complimented him on; of course that was after forcing the young man to change his clothes and fix his hair once she saw how he had originally planned to look while he attempted to leave the house. His current attire consisted of a plain white, long sleeve shirt resting beneath a black, vest jacket that was zipped up to help ease the minor chill that still lingered from the morning. With a simple pair of black pants and white sneakers, he had his glasses on along with his headphones to complete the ensemble. Concerning his hair, it was just as messy as ever, though according to Kanami it was the current 'style,' not that Hachiman was all that concerned with 'style' in the first place. After all, 'practicality and comfort' always came before 'style' in the eyes of the young man.

"_Calm down, it's not over yet. Orimoto isn't supposed to be here for another hour, just need to get out of here and hide until then. And when I see her, I'll wait a bit longer before heading over._" Hachiman assessed as he managed to lose some of the tension that filled his body, slacking a bit as he loosened the death grip he had on his phone.

Moving quickly, or at least as quickly as one could in public without being seen as a maniac or weirdo, Hachiman took a scan of the area before moving towards a quaint looking bookstore that caught his eyes during his sweep of the area. Heading inside, he instantly felt his tension leave as the familiar and comforting scent of paper and print filled his nose. Unconsciously, a small smile made its way to his face as he let his eyes wander across the store. Sby oneeeing an elderly woman manning the counter, contently reading a small book while sipping on a cup of tea, she paused and offered him a smile as he returned it. Having finished greeting the owner, who Hachiman deduced she was based on how at ease she was at the helm of the shop, he headed towards the section of the store that contained his precious light novels, secretly hoping that he'd manage to find something that would break him out of the inordinate amount of 'isekai' themed novels that had become so popular.

"Mmm... Nothing, hmm..." He mused to himself quietly as he pulled books from the shelf one by one, checking the cover art and synopsis before placing them back in their proper places.

Whilst he was perusing the many books that were laid out in front of him, Hachiman found himself losing sight of his original objective as he tried to find a book that would break him out of his literature related slump. In the midst of pulling another book from the shelf, he heard a slight gasp that piqued his curiosity, turning and promptly wishing that he hadn't as the surprised face of Kaori was staring directly at him. Silence quickly filled scene of the two as the only sounds in the shop were the soft undertones of classical music, the occasional chime of the front door and light sound of chatter from the handful of other customers. Stiffly, Hachiman braved the awkward atmosphere as he mechanically placed the offending book back into its spot on the shelf. Finished, he broke the staring contest between Kaori and himself when he went to check his phone, his heart dropping into his stomach with red staining his cheeks when he saw that it was barely a quarter past eleven. Slowly, he rose his eyes and saw that Kaori was also staring down at her phone with slowly reddening cheeks, the hands gripping her phone trembling slightly as utter mortification filled her person.

"_Oh my god... Please, please, please! Please tell me that isn't Hikigaya! Why!? Why is he here an hour early!? Why am I here an hour early!? Ahh! What is even going on with me?! He'll think I'm like some super desperate girl, getting here an hour early all dressed up __just for some coffee and chatting! No! No, no, no! Just kill me!_" Kaori screamed to herself in her mind, her red face growing to a shade of crimson as nothing else but her current predicament mattered to the brunette.

For the two youths currently bathing in the realization that they were not only an hour early to their predetermined meetings but found hiding before the destined hour that was noon, nothing but absolute humiliation and shame could be seen on their reddening faces. Hachiman could be seen with a red tinted face, his lips quivering a bit with the confused and panicked spasms of his nervous system trying to calm itself and find a way to escape the horrible reality that was his current situation. As for Kaori, the brunette had her cheeks puffed out slightly as she desperately held in the scream of indignation that was fighting to be let loose from her throat, her shoulders shaking as utter embarrassment filled her system. Then, as slow and steady as a tortoise, the two forcibly shifted their bodies and heads to lock gazes with the other party, as much as it pained and mortified them to do so.

"U-Umm... H-Heya, Hikigaya..." Greeted Kaori in an incredibly stiff and unnatural manner, an equally stiff smile on her crimson face as Hachiman felt his own flushed face get a shade deeper.

"Y-Yo Orimoto..." Replied the raven haired young man in an equally rigid tone, offering her a small nod of his head as silence took over the two once more.

"S-So... F-Fancy meeting you here, huh? I was in the a-area and figured that I'd you know, do some shopping..." Kaori stated as she tried to smooth over the extremely awkward atmosphere, Hachiman mentally thanking the brunette for taking the plunge as he nodded in turn.

"S-Same, I've wanted to check out this bookstore for a while. Heard about it from my old bosses..." He answered as Kaori lost a bit of her embarrassment, opting to shift it to curiosity about the raven haired young man's work experience given what she heard of his laziness from his club mates.

"Really? W-Well, wanna grab that c-coffee now?" Kaori offered as Hachiman nodded a bit too quickly for his own liking, the brunette catching it as she let a mental sigh leave seeing that she wasn't the only one who was experiencing the awkward atmosphere.

Taking Kaori's offer as a signal to leave the store, the two headed towards the door as the shopkeeper offered them a kind and knowing smile, instantly causing the crimson in their faces to return as the hastened their pace. Though, upon leaving that same crimson faded to a shade of pink as they kept a fair but comfortable distance between themselves. Walking in silence, it was a tad uncomfortable but neither of the two made a comment about it as they shot glances towards the other when they assumed that they weren't looking. After a few minutes, the pair found themselves at a cutesy looking animal themed cafe that drew a wince to Hachiman, Kaori catching it as a slight giggle left her mouth. The sound caused a bit of red to return to the young man's cheeks, though he shot her amused look as she smiled a bit larger in response.

"Come'on, the cuteness isn't going to kill you!" Kaori said in a lighter and teasing tone as she headed inside, Hachiman letting a sigh leave as he resigned himself to the fate of dining in such a childish themed cafe as he followed the brunette to a table beside the shop's windows.

"So... What're you getting?" Hachiman asked after scanning the blackboard that acted as the menu of the shop, Kaori furrowing her brows and pursing her lips as she took a look for herself.

"Hmm... I think I'm gonna get a decaf polar bear café au lait and grizzly bear tart!" Kaori stated in a sure tone as turned back to look at Hachiman, nearly laughing out loud when she saw the look of pure confusion on his face.

"R-Right, wait here." He stammered after breaking from his stupor, Kaori shooting him a confused look before panicking slightly when she realized what he was trying to do.

"W-Wait! You don't need to pay for mine, Hikigaya!" She yelped slightly as she stood up, pink coloring her cheeks as desperately tried forcing her fluttering heart to still from the simple act of kindness from the young man.

"I know, but... Haa, don't worry about it. It's just this once, alright." Hachiman countered as he rubbed the back of his neck, Kaori growing quiet before shyly nodding her head in acceptance as she took her seat once more.

Seeing the brunette relent, Hachiman offered her a nod of gratitude before heading to the register to order their items. Watching him go, Kaori couldn't help but feel her heart hammer harder, clutching slightly at her chest as she tried to ease the ache that echoed through her. How could she be feeling this way? Feeling her heart skip and flutter so easily by the same young man who she had rejected and failed to acknowledge in the past. That thought and the bitter memories that accompanied it were enough to break the brunette from her maiden-like state, though the gloom and somber glint that shone in her eyes and the self-deprecating smile that marred were a stark contrast to what she was so blissfully and ignorantly experiencing earlier.

"_I don't have a right to be feeling like that, not after how I've treated him... And even then, it's not like he's interested in me anymore..._" Kaori thought to herself in a somber manner, lifting her slightly dimmer eyes to watch the man converse with the young lady manning the register as a pang of jealousy shot through her when she caught a slight twinkle in the other woman's eyes.

But just as the twinge of jealousy came, it left when Kaori reminded herself of her current situation. Why and how could she be feeling jealous? They were nothing more then acquaintances, if that, why was she acting like she had any claim or connection to the young man other then a few passing of words in the past? For Kaori, she couldn't find a reasonable answer in her heart. Or rather she wasn't able to find an answer that she could find without seeming like a horrible person in regards to her relationship with Hachiman. Though, just as she was about to delve into slightly darker and unsavory thoughts, the scent of sweets and coffee caught her nose, snapping her from her depressive state as she found herself staring into the slightly concerned eyes of Hachiman as a wonderful and painful heat entered her heart once more.

"You alright? You looked a bit down." Hachiman asked in a concerned and slightly stiff manner, Kaori feeling a bit of that heat fade when she caught the tension that was present in his voice while he voiced his concerns.

"Sad? N-Not at all! I'm just thinking about tomorrow's homework is all, Hikigaya! Rumor has it that my new math teacher is a real stickler about assignments!" Kaori replied with a small smile and overly chipper tone, Hachiman saying nothing though he nodded in turn and offered her the items she had ordered.

A few words of thanks and a smile leaving her mouth, Kaori gained a fonder smile when she saw Hachiman flush a bit at the gratitude that she had given him. Her eyes gained a warm, though it pained her to feel that steadily addicting sensation, light to them as she watched Hachiman blow slightly on his coffee before taking a sip. Then, just when she thought she was adamant about not growing any more enchanted by the glasses wearing youth, the soft and satisfied smile that graced his face shook the foundations of Kaori's faith as she immediately burned the image of the smiling young man to her mind.

"It's good. Nice choice, Orimoto." Hachiman said with an equally satisfied tone, Kaori simply nodding while taking a sip of her drink as well as she refused to trust her voice at the moment.

And like her raven haired companion, once the sweet and rich taste of her café au lait hit her tastes buds she let a content smile grace her face. Then, with the addition of their beverages and treats, the awkward encounter and subsequent meeting from earlier was a thing of the past, the two falling into a bit of light conversation that would have fooled many into thinking that they were good friends or a newly made couple with how comfortable they seemed to be with each other. But beneath those pleasant expressions and smiles, anxiety and tension were filling the two as they tried to keep a cool and collected expression in spite of their inner turmoil. However, with the two keeping the topics of conversation simple and easy, they were avoiding the possibility of creating a situation where a question or answer would shift the power dynamic from a neutral and controlled state to one where one side had power over the other. A state that would soon come to fruition with the addition of variables outside the control of the two.

"-nd I'm probably going to stick with just volunteering, haha. I'm not really cut out for the student council, you know? But! I am going to be joining the newspaper club this year!" Kaori continued as she gave a brief rundown of her plans for the coming year, her smile and energy growing when she saw the small smirk that crossed Hachiman's face.

"That so? Good for you, though I'd suggest that you tone back on the 'preach it' if you're going to be writing." Hachiman threw back in a slightly smug manner as the brunette quickly lost her smile and energy, an angry and embarrassed pout marring her face as she leered at the young man.

"Oi. Don't make me mad, Hikigaya. You wouldn't like me when I'm angry." Kaori warned the raven haired young man as Hachiman lost his smug demeanor, Kaori gaining a smirk in place of her pout as she watched the man mutter something inaudible under his breath as a waitress stopped by their table.

"Excuse me you two! Sorry for interrupting your date, but you both would be perfect for our couple's promotion! Would you like to be a part of it? It come's with a free dessert for two!" The waitress asked as Hachiman froze instantly, his mental faculties stalling as he tried to force the words of denial out of his mouth.

But before he could answer and to his utter horror, Kaori immediately agreed upon hearing of the free dessert. An excited cheer coming from the waitress, she hurriedly moved to the kitchen to make the order while Kaori and Hachiman were left waiting for their end. Hachiman was pale and had his earlier tinge of pink return, Kaori on the other hand was simply ecstatic about the free dessert that was coming their way.

And, just like what Hachiman had so woefully predicted, Kaori had her blush return full force when she saw the dessert that was presented to them by their grinning waitress. It was a small chiffon cake, at least Hachiman assumed based on the texture of it, coated in white fondant with an assortment of flowers and hearts in various shades of red and pink. Multiple strawberries dotting the cake, all coated and drizzled with various types of chocolate.

But it was what was on top of the cake that was the source of their current embarrassment. Resting on top of the cake were the words 'World's Happiest Couple' in bright red frosting, an equally bright heart enveloping it. Stiffly, they turned towards the waitress and promptly turned pale when they saw her holding a camera in her hands.

"Alright! Let's get a smile you two! Or if not, you can just pay the cost of the cake! Just six thousand yen!" She chirped as she readied the camera, a smile on her face as the crimson and pale faces of the two seemed even brighter through the viewfinder.

As their waitress took great pleasure in their current, Kaori and Hachiman craned their necks to look at each other; Hachiman sporting a terrifying and embarrassed expression while Kaori looked absolutely guilty. Offering the ravenette a wry and teary smile, Kaori silently pleaded with him to help her out of their current situation, a twitch of the brow from the man being all that she received. Like always, the sight of a teary eyed young lady nipped at his instincts as an older brother, Hachiman sighing as he dropped his expression. Nodding at her, he gestured towards the camera with his head as Kaori's eyes widened and gleamed a bit. The two turning to look at the camera, Hachiman let a soft smile cross his face while Kaori followed and let a shy one grace her own. Then a quick flash followed as Hachiman quickly lost his smile, his usual deadpanned face returning as Kaori was left with her shy smile.

"There, now that wasn't so bad, was it? Here, let me go make a copy for the two of you!" The waitress chirped as she left with a skip to her step, quickly calling over her coworkers as the pair left behind stared blankly at her.

"...There wasn't a promotion, was there..." Kaori quipped in a dry tone, all embarrassment from earlier fading as she realized what had just happened.

"There will be one, now..." Hachiman added as he watched the cafe staff rush to put together a promotional event, feeling his trust in humanity dropping as their waitress cackled rather evilly while yen signs shone in her eyes.

A pair of resigned sighs leaving the mouths of the two, the youths spent a second lamenting on their fate before deciding to abandon what was left of their dignity and indulge in the cake. Both taking a forkful of cake, though pink colored their cheeks when they accidentally touched the other, they tasted the baked sweet.

As soon as the cake touched their tongues, their eyes widened as a burst of sugary sweet flavor filled their mouths. Kaori about to help herself to the cake, she paused when she spotted Hachiman staring keenly at the baked treat in front of them. About to ask if something was wrong, her worries were replaced with mirth and affection when she heard him trying to dissect the cake.

"Here you go, miss! And for you sir!" The voice of their waitress chirped as she arrived with photos in tow, handing the pair their commemorative photos.

Looking at the photos, Kaori was left speechless as she gazed at the pair in the photo. A smiling Hachiman and herself, looking like they were really on a date and not just meeting to chat over coffee. A somber smile crossing her lips, she turned to thank the waitress who smiled a bit softer at her sincere words of gratitude before leaning in to whisper in her ear.

"Don't worry, okay? As long as you're willing to put your heart in it, what happened between the two of you shouldn't matter. Just make sure you don't let go of him this time." Whispered the waitress as Kaori's eyes widened in both fright and surprise, snapping her head towards the older girl as she just winked in a reassuring and knowing manner before heading back to the counter.

Left speechless by the unsettlingly observant waitress, her words resounded and echoed through the heart of the brunette. Did she even deserve a second chance with the raven haired young man in front of her? The rational part of her mind vehemently denied her of any and all thoughts or ideas of the notion, listing and detailing the various errors of her past to her growing gloom. But it was the other side of her mind, a small and soft spoken part, that voiced the growing well of bottled emotion that filled her heart, which hopefully expressed her most inner desire. A wish. That small and soft voiced part of Kaori's heart simply wished to have another chance at happiness, a chance which she would wholeheartedly grasp with her hands if allowed to.

"Well, it's been nice talking with you, Orimoto. But I gotta go now, take care." Hachiman said after finishing the last of his coffee, offering the brunette a tiny and very rare but true smile that caused the last bastions of Kaori's restraint to crumble.

"H-Hikigaya!" Kaori blurted in a hasty and tense tone, startling the man as he flinched a bit before nodding slowly as the brunette mustered up her courage to voice her hope for another outing together.

"I had a great time talking with you today, Hikigaya. So... I-I was wondering if you'd want t-" Kaori told the man in an earnest and heartfelt tone with a shade of red coloring her cheeks, the tender and tense moment being interrupted when a sudden gasp and shriek sounded from beside their table.

"H-Hachiman?!" Came a very familiar but strangely feminine voice, the two turning to look at a silver haired young lady with blue eyes wide with what looked like terror and confusion.

"What?" Voiced the two youths now staring at the newcomer with contrasting expressions, Hachiman looking absolutely confused while Kaori's gaze bore an edge of jealousy.

"N-Nothing! S-Sorry to interrupt you two! Ah! Look at the time, I-I should get going n-" The young lady apologized before gazing at her bare wrist as an expression of faux shock crossed her face, moving quickly to excuse herself when another voice called out to her.

"Saika! I got our desserts, sweetie! Ufufu! Just wait until your father sees the picture I sent him of you and me! He'll be so jealous that his most important girls are enjoying their Sunday while he's stuck in a boring meeting!" Came the excited and airy voice of an older woman who bore a striking resemblance to the silver haired young lady, Kaori still gazing at her suspiciously while Hachiman felt his entire world start to crack and crumble as he realized just who the silver haired young lady was.

"T-Totsuka...?" Asked the raven haired young man in an apprehensive and tense tone, his suspicions being proven when he saw her shoulders jump and her body freeze.

"Ara? Are you friends with my little Saika! It's so nice to meet you! I'm Satsuki Totsuka, Saika's mother! I hope my daughter hasn't caused the two of you any trouble!" Satsuki chirped in a bright and chipper tone, instantly causing blood to both leave and fill Saika's face.

Stiffly, Saika and Hachiman craned their heads to gaze at the other; Hachiman gaining a tinge of pink while Saika's cheeks were a full shade of crimson. The sight of the two drew contrasting reactions from the two others present, Satsuki's eyes gleaming as a mischievous smile slowly crawled onto her face. Kaori on the other hand had a stronger twinge of jealousy jolt through her, the brunette clenching her fists slightly as she bitterly watched the young man she was interested in have such a reaction to a strikingly beautiful and delicate looking young lady.

Why? Why was it when she was just solidifying her resolve and had mustered the courage to ask Hachiman on another date despite her fears and apprehensions that another girl had to appear? One, among others Kaori might add, who seemed interested in the young man just as she was. Oh, she could remember the others who she just _knew_ liked him more then they led others or themselves to believe. The two that had shown up on their first 'date' that Hayama, Kaori could immediately tell that the pink haired, airheaded one was head over heels for him, Kaori could practically see that twinkle in her eyes whenever she spoke to him. The black haired prissy one, the brunette was on the fence about her when they had first met, Kaori having initially thought that she was just a club member to Hachiman. But then came the Pre-Valentine's day collaboration, it was then that Kaori could see that twinkle in the raven haired young lady's eyes, no matter how tiny or how hard she tried to hide it. When she decided to give Hachiman her first batch of chocolates, seeing the flash of panic that crossed their eyes only cemented the fact that they were in love with him.

But it wasn't just the two of them, there was that underclassman of his, the student council president of his school if Kaori remembered correctly. When they had first met, or at least when she had introduced herself, Kaori could immediately see how fake that cutesy and clumsy act of hers was. However, it was the perfect cover for the younger girl to manipulate and exploit others for her own purposes, even Kaori herself was nearly brought under her spell when she managed to convince Tamanawa to pitch in and help with the baking event during Valentine's Day, though when she remembered that her whole character was just an act the brunette quickly recovered. There was something between those girls and Hachiman that brought a mix of anxiety and fear into Kaori's heart, there was something between them that didn't exist between him and her.

For the airhead, it seemed like Hachiman treated her like a nuisance, but Kaori had heard of times where the two of them were exceedingly intimate and gentle with one another. Kaori nearly had a heart attack when she heard a rumor that Hachiman frequently laid his head on her lap so she could run her hands through his raven locks, whispering sweet nothings to each other while simply enjoying their time together. Though his name was never mentioned in said rumor, the only person who Kaori had seen the airhead look at with such longing and intimacy was Hachiman, and Kaori had seen those same eyes reflected back at the pink haired young lady by Hachiman. Even earlier, when they were talking about mundane things, when the raven haired young man mention Yuigahama, there was always a small smile that accompanied his tales of her antics and activities.

For the black haired 'queen', it felt like she was someone who Hachiman treated as an equal of sorts. There was tell of the two of them trading words and wit, though evidently it was the raven haired young lady that mostly came out on top. But despite that he spoke of her with respect and fondness, a stark contrast to the rather brutal tales of her destruction of his choice in literature and hobbies. To be able to speak of someone who seemed to look down on you and mock you and what you enjoy, even if was in jest, wasn't an easy thing to do. Kaori had firsthand experience with dealing with people like that, those who thought it was funny to poke fun at things you felt insecure about or like just because they 'assume' that you would be alright with it. But it wasn't that way for Hachiman and that girl, the snorts of amusement that left him when he recounted rather cutting barbs that she had shot him were full of pure amusement and mirth, not false or forced at all.

For his conniving underclassman, Kaori had to admit that he treats her much like someone would treat their younger sibling, treating her as something more akin to a little sister based on what she had observed. Adding to that notion, there was something going on between them during that whole event, even beyond him treating her like she was a little sister. There was an underlying sense of responsibility that he seemed to take for her, always making sure that there was at least a safe option for her when discussions happened. At first there wasn't a hint of attraction from the girl, merely using Hachiman for her own purposes, something that Kaori will never forget. But then something happened, something big if it was enough to cause a spark of attraction to Hachiman from Hayama in the young lady. It was very clear to Kaori when she had asked him if she had ever given him any chocolate, the brunette nearly laughing when she remembered the haunted look on the younger brunette's face.

And those were just the three that Kaori was currently aware of, adding in this new girl would make that count grow to five, with herself included. Just why? Why were so many girls attracted to this depressing, mopey, gloomy, bland, average, funny, smart, adorable, responsible, handsome, gentle, kind, guy?! Just two years ago, none of those girls would have given him the time of day! Kaori was the only one who did and he confessed to her, didn't that already forever secure a special place in his heart?! But on that same accord, it was also the reason why he was probably so hesitant and tense when she was around him, Kaori falling back into a slightly depressive slump as her past grievances were brought back to the forefront of her mind. Kaori mentally shook her head as she swore to herself that she wouldn't allow herself to play the 'first girl' card as she had ripped it and torched its remains to ash ages ago. Kaori Orimoto had to work her way back from square one, or rather from zero based on how unstable their current relationship was. Though, it was a challenge that the brunette was willing and ready to face head on, and that challenge had a new challenger to face.

"H-Hachiman... I-I can explain!" Saika said in a shaky and tearful tone, Satsuki's mischievous smile fading to a concerned one as she shot an equally worried look towards her daughter.

"Y-You... You're a girl?" Hachiman asked as time seemed to stall for the four, all eyes falling onto Saika as her blush increased ten-fold.

"...Saika... I thought you said that it was only for freshman year..." Satsuki asked in a slightly sad tone, instantly causing the silver haired young lady to freeze as her head dipped slightly in both shame and guilt.

"Excuse me, ma'am. But T-Totsuka must have had a valid reason for doing so." Hachiman blurted out almost automatically as his 'angel protection senses' began to blare loudly, getting a curious look from Satsuki, a slightly dubious one from Kaori and a stunned one from Saika.

"H-Hachiman!" Saika cried out in a teary and warm tone, an equally warm and teary smile crossing her face as Hachiman nearly fainted from such a devastatingly powerful sight.

"Hikigaya, who is this?" Kaori asked somewhat irritably as she finally decided to include herself into the conversation, getting Saika's full attention as a unknown yet familiar emotion tightly gripped the heart of the silver haired young lady.

"I-I'm Totsuka Saika, H-Hachiman's best friend!" Saika proclaimed earnestly as a strange feeling of elation filled her heart at the slight flinch that Kaori displayed, the brunette equally as stunned as Hachiman as the raven haired young man had no recollection of making such a pact with the silver haired youth.

"Oh my... Is this what you young people call 'love triangle'?" Satsuki asked with a shade of pink on her cheeks, her previously sullen expression replaced with an extremely curious and impish one.

With those words, all tension left as crimson filled the cheeks of the three, all three quickly denying any and all accusations that Satsuki had about their current situation. Seeing them try so hard to mend their current predicament, the woman just giggled before winking at them in a knowing manner, focusing on her daughter as Saika's blush intensified as she recognized the look in her mother's eyes. Having had enough of both the situation and seeing any more moments between the two of them, Kaori gathered her courage once more before taking a huge risk and latching onto the sleeve of Hachiman's jacket. The action stunning the two with her, Kaori ignored them and the wide eyed gaze of the waitress who had helped push her to pursue her heart's desire, she excused herself and Hachiman before trying to lead the man out of the cafe. But, to the absolute ire of Kaori, Saika latched onto Hachiman's hand, squeezing it as crimson flooded both her cheeks and the young man she was holding onto.

"W-Wait, please! U-Umm... H-Hachiman, if you're n-not busy later, c-can we talk?" Saika asked with a demure expression on her face, Hachiman simply nodding stiffly as he refused to trust his voice in the current moment.

With that, Saika shot him one last radiant smile before letting him go, but not before giving his hand one more squeeze. For the raven haired young man caught in the middle of such a seemingly dream-like and improbable series of events, he was left powerless as Kaori regained her bearings and continued to drag him out of the room, shooting Saika one last gaze as she silver haired young lady seemed to smile somewhat haughtily as she waved at the brunette. Narrowing her eyes slightly, Kaori returned it with a wave of her own, scooting a tad closer to Hachiman as she led him out of the cafe, internally enjoying the slight twitch that the entered the silver haired young lady's smile. Watching them leave, Saika let her smile drop to a thin line as she watched Kaori drag Hachiman around the corner of the street, her previous glee fading to apathy as numerous things raced through her mind.

That was Hachiman?! Why was he even here?! Why didn't he tell her that he liked this cafe?! Why did he look so different?! Why did he look so... So cool? Handsome? Stunning? But the more important questions, the ones that jumped to the forefront of her mind were about that girl. Why was she here with Hachiman? Why did she act like she was his g-girlfriend?! Why did her heart ache when she saw her act so intimate with him? There were too many things that confused Saika at the moment, but the most important question was one that she had completely overlooked in favor of seeing her 'best friend' for the first time since their school year had started. The question that Saika had overlooked was one pertaining to escaping or tricking the gleaming eyed woman staring her down, Saika finally realizing her folly as she stiffly rose her head to lock gazes with her mother.

"Well, well, well... So Saika, where do you want to start? We have all day~!" Satsuki chirped in a bright and sweet tone, though the impishness of her current expression and giggle drew a shiver from both Saika and their waitress as she shakily backed away from their table to where her coworkers were situated.

"...I think we just hit a gold mine, ladies..." Stated the waitress who had tended to Kaori and Hachiman, the yen signs previously in her eyes replaced with utter curiosity and excitement as the manga-like situation that had unfolded before them captured the attention of all of the cafe staff.

"...Can I show them the picture you took of them from earlier? That way, we can control the situation better?" Asked another waitress as she shakily held onto the photo of Kaori and Hachiman, turning to look at her supervisor with eyes of barely restrained excitement.

"...The arrogance of man is thinking nature is in their control, and not the other way around... Let them fight..." Stated the supervisor in a cryptic manner, adjusting her glasses just enough that the glare of the lights washed away her eyes.

"Get these orders out! That means you too, Asako! Quit playing around and get that couple's promotion done already! Just cause you're my kid doesn't mean you can slack off!" Came an irritated shout from the kitchen, causing all the waitresses to yelp and run to the counter where the various snacks and drinks laid, leaving their supervisor alone as her head slumped slightly.

"...Damn it old man..." She muttered in an embarrassed and angered tone, trudging to follow her coworkers as all the excitement from earlier was washed away with the tide of new customers and orders.

* * *

**And that's a wrap. Thanks for reading, stay awesome.**


	7. Chapter 7

"Yo." - Person Talking

"_Yo_." - Person Thinking

**And here is a sudden new chapter. Let's a go. **

* * *

"...Orimoto?" Asked Hachiman in a slightly concerned as he finally found the voice that he had lost during the previous encounter with Saika, the young man having been led by the sleeve by Kaori in silence since their departure from the cafe.

"...What?" Kaori answered with a cold and distant tone, the brunette slowing her steps as the two stopped in front of a convenience store.

Staring at the back of the shorter young lady, Hachiman remained silent as studied her body language. He had seen her current demeanor before; her sagged shoulders, dipped head, the way she was barely trying to contain the frustration that desperately wanted to be loosed onto the world, Hachiman was far too familiar with it. The raven haired youth's eyes softening, he gently removed Kaori's hand from his sleeve as the brunette flinched before freezing when she felt his hand pry off her fingers. Without a word, Hachiman walked away from her, leaving Kaori alone in the middle of the sidewalk as a deep shudder wracked the body of the brunette.

So this was how her love story with Hachiman finally ended, somewhat ionic if Kaori could say. Standing still, the brunette refused to move from her spot, not wanting to see the empty space that the young man had once stood behind her. Once again, Kaori had pushed away the raven haired young man, only this time it was when he was merely voicing his concerns for her well being. Why? Why did she act like this whenever it came to Hachiman? Why couldn't she just be open and honest with him? Why couldn't she just be genuine?

A mirthless giggle leaving her, Kaori's eyes dimmed as they gained hollow look to them. The arm was was held out behind her, the same that had held onto the sleeve of the young man, slowly fell back to her side as Kaori took a shaky breath to ease her frazzled nerves. Her eyes stinging as the tears that were dancing on the edge of them were just about to fall, they were halted by an errant swipe of her sleeve, the young lady doing everything in her power to not break down in the open. Shaking her head to rid it of the dark and depressing thoughts that were beginning to dance through it, she was about to trudge her way home only to raise her head and see an arm holding out a can of her secretly beloved strawberry latte.

"You still like this stuff, right?" Hachiman asked in a slightly awkward manner, internally hoping and praying that the brunette wouldn't get creeped or grossed out that he remembered her favorite drink from their few talks back in middle school.

The sight and his words causing her eyes to grow wide, Kaori simply stared at the can being offered to her before following the arm up to its owner's face. Why? Why did he have to look at her with such beautiful and soulful eyes? A complex mix of emotions danced in those gray-hazel orbs, eyes that Kaori simply wished to stare at for as long as she could. Concern and caution, two contrasting emotions were the most present in them, but there was always that small kindling of warmth and kindness that took Kaori's breath away and caused her heart to hammer in her chest.

Even after all that she had done, even after all that he was forced to go through because of her answer, how he was still able to look at her like that? Wordlessly, Kaori accepted her beloved drink from the young man as they stood a bit awkwardly in silence. A few seconds passing, Hachiman wasn't able to bear it much longer as he gestured towards a nearby bench with his head, Kaori nodding dumbly as she followed after him.

The pair taking a seat, silence took hold once more as the two snuck glances at each other. The action being repeated a few times, the back and forth halted when they accidentally locked gazes, crimson blooming on the faces of the two as they quickly adverted their gazes. But slowly, Kaori shifted her head to glance at Hachiman, seeing the raven haired young man still adverting his gaze as the embarrassment and tension that filled her body started to melt.

The look on the young man's face was a priceless one to the brunette, the combination of embarrassment, anxiety and mortification that colored it was a truly hilarious look that greatly contrasted what Kaori had remembered him looking anything like in the past. An unladylike snort leaving her, Kaori turned and let a series of giggles leave her mouth before it turned to full blown laughter.

Hearing her laughing in such a carefree manner stunned Hachiman, though once his surprise melted it turned to a bit of self-loathing as he assumed that she was laughing at his person. But those dark and depressing thoughts were vanquished when she turned and flashed a brilliant smile at him, startling the raven haired youth when she raised her arms up and stretched loudly. Letting loose the breath that she was holding, Kaori had a content sigh leave as she stood up while nodding her head.

"Yosh!" Kaori said to herself as she pumped herself up, Hachiman staring at her like she was crazy as the brunette turned to face him.

"I've decided, Hikigaya! You said it yourself, right! That what's happened, happened!" Stated the brunette in an earnest tone, the raven haired youth flinching as she seemed a lot more outgoing then she had been before.

"Y-Yeah, that's right." He answered as the brunette's smile seemed to grow in radiance, stunning the young man momentarily as she nodded her head in what seemed like resolution.

"Right! So I'm going to say this now! I'm not going to give up! And when Kaori Orimoto promises something, she always delivers! So remember that!" Kaori declared in a confident tone whilst grinning at Hachiman, leaving the young man speechless as she let out another content sigh at her admission.

"Today was a lot of fun, Hikigaya. I hope we can do this again sometime soon, hehe. Well, I guess this is where we call it, huh? I'll talk with you later, okay? And here!" Kaori told the raven haired youth with reddening cheeks, quickly moving to her purse and pulling out a pen and a piece of scrap paper.

Scribbling onto the scrap piece of paper, Kaori folded it before placing it in Hachiman's hands. The act stunning the young man, he was left utterly bewildered when he saw her run off before turning and waving brightly back at him. With her farewells done, Kaori rounded the corner and vanished from the view of the raven haired young man. It took a minute for Hachiman to snap from his stupor, blinking away the confusion that still lingered in his eyes as he slowly lowered his eyes to the piece of paper he had been given by the brunette. Not completely the most sane at the moment, the rather extraordinary and unexpected events that he had experienced stalling his thoughts, he opened it and felt a bit of warmth fill his head.

[_'Here's my new number, Hikigaya! Send me a text when you get the chance, ok? And thanks for coming, I had a great time. Let's do it again sometime soon!'_]

Reading that small message along with the number that rested below it, Hachiman saw that she still dotted her letters with small flowers like she had back in middle school. Smiling softly, he pulled his phone out and sent a quick text to the brunette, letting her know that he had a good time as well. Locking his phone, he pocketed it and the note the brunette left for him, feeling a bit embarrassed that he was so giddy over something so trivial. Grunting, he left the area before anyone could see his lightly pink cheeks. But a soft chime from his phone stole his attention, the raven haired young man taking a guess as to who it could be seeing as he had only texted one person within the past hour. Pulling it out, he was surprised to see that it was a text from Saki, the silver haired young lady asking for the recipe of the petit pain au chocolat he had made during his visit to her home.

Furrowing his brow, the raven haired young man tried to recall the exact measurements for the dessert, not wanting to give false information to the silverette, especially concerning something that the Kawasaki children would probably be scarfing down once they caught a whiff of it. Arriving at the station, Hachiman found himself passing the time rather quickly as he spent an amiable time texting with Saki, the two loners having a lively conversation concerning the culinary arts the glasses wearing man could be seen with a small but true and amused smile on his face at Saki's ignorance concerning baked goods. It wasn't long before he heard the boarding call for his home station, quickly wrapping up the conversation that he was having with Saki, to the silver haired young lady's displeasure. Though that displeasure was alleviated when she was reminded that she would be seeing him tomorrow, the young lady bidding him a fond farewell that he returned.

Arriving home short after his conversation with Saki, Hachiman noted that he was home alone, his parents' cars being absent from the garage. Slipping out of his shoes, he took a glance at the clock and saw that it was just a bit after one, the raven haired young man predicting that they would be back no later then three or four seeing as it was a Sunday. Starting towards the kitchen, he checked on Kamakura's food and water, adding a bit more water to his bowl. Finished, he scanned the house for the cat and saw that he was currently resting on the coach, sprawled out in a comfortable and content manner. A smirk crossing his face at the sight, he moved over to rub and scratch the belly of the cat as a soft purr left his mouth at the pleasurable sensations. Heading up the stairs and to his room, he placed the rather precious keepsakes of his meeting with Kaori on his desk while he booted up his PC, taking a bit to fully examine the commemorative photo that he had been given. A tiny smile forming on his face, he shook his head before returning it to his desk. Seeing as there wasn't much to do other then laze around, which was his planned activity for the rest of the day, Hachiman made his way to the bathroom for a quick shower before dedicating the rest of his time and energy to relax.

Grabbing his laundry bag before heading inside, the young man stripped off his clothing, which began to feel a bit muggy and sticky with how warm it was inside his home. Dumping them into the bag, he debated taking a bath or shower but opted for the latter seeing as it would cause a scene should be fall asleep and down whilst relaxing in the tub. Turning on the water, he stepped inside before a sigh of absolute content left his mouth, Hachiman completely at ease as the sound of the front door opening and shutting was swallowed by the water. As for the newcomer, Komachi let a content sigh of her own leave when the comforting scent of her home filled her, feeling that content grow when she saw that her beloved brother was still home. Humming a tune, she trotted to the kitchen for a quick snack whilst debating on how she was going to spent the rest of her day off, already having spent some quality time with Yukino and Yui.

"Who knew that Yukino-chan was so scary when it came to card games..." The ravenette whispered to herself with a slight shiver, the memories of Yui and her bitter defeat and struggle against the raven haired beauty from yesterday night resurfacing.

Rummaging through the cupboard, the youngest Hikigaya was visibly saddened to see a lack of delectable snacks, a sullen groan leaving her as she closed it and moved towards the fridge. Opening it, her despair and hunger grew when she saw that there weren't any sweet treats for her, the same result occurring when she raided the freezer. The light pitter patter of paws catching her ears, she turned and saw her beloved Kamakura trotting to get a bite to eat, meowing at the young lady before helping himself to the food poured out for him. Closing the door to the appliance before she moved to scratch him behind the ears, Komachi soon gained dead eyes when she rose and saw a little note with her mother's handwriting scrawled onto it rested on the surface of the fridge door.

[_'Machi, Hachi; I ate the last of the matcha ice cream after cleaning the house, I'll pick some up on the way home! Let me know what else you want to eat before I get home, love you!'_]

A defeated sigh leaving the mouth of the young lady, Komachi sulkily made her way upstairs to change into something more comfortable and breathable then the outfit she currently had on. Reaching the top of the stairs, the sound of the bathroom door unlocking stole her attention, gloomy eyes sliding over to look at the door. Then, a brilliant idea popped into the head of the youngest Hikigaya as she hurriedly tussled her hair and made herself look extremely pitiable, intent on charming her brother into making a pilgrimage to the corner store for some ice cream, soda and chips. Stifling the mischievous giggle that wanted to leave her, she leaned lightly against the railing to appear depleted of energy and to add to her already meek and fragile image. But all thoughts and schemes left her mind when the shirtless form of Hachiman stepped out of the bathroom, a content and happy sigh leaving him as he lightly tussled his hair with a towel.

Almost instantly, Komachi's eyes darted downwards, not by her own volition but by her instincts and reflexes as a woman. Thankfully, though an extremely tiny part of her was somehow feeling discontent and cheated, he had the bottoms of his usual tracksuit on. Slowly, she craned her head upwards and blinked in surprise when she saw that her older brother wasn't as flabby as she had expected. The last time she had seen her bother's body was most likely his first year of middle school when they went to the pool together as a family. Since then there wasn't a recent memory in the mind of the ravenette of Hachiman's body, so seeing the tone musculature of his abdominals, chest, shoulders and arms was a huge surprise to her. The brother she had remembered and knew would no doubt have a slightly rotund figure with all the lazing around that he was known for, but then it started to click with Komachi when she really thought about it.

Hachiman always walked, ran or rode his bike to traverse if possible. It was something that he had explained to her as 'garnering karma for not polluting mother earth' or something of a similar ilk, though it was really to avoid meeting people he knew in case they took the subways often. Then there was his sports activity in middle school, something that only him and his family were aware of, of how hard he had practiced despite not playing as an actual starter or back-up. If she was remembering right, Hachiman had told her that 'if you're going to do something, might as well do it right,' a phrase that their father was known for quipping whenever they were going to do something. Seeing in it that light, that he was simply following their father's words, it made sense as he would return home dirty and sweaty but nonetheless happy with his performance. Now that she was remembering all the effort that he put in for the track and field team and still not having been placed in a single event, Komachi had a miffed expression cross her face as the medal that he had earned back then was one that, while he was deserving of with how hard he had practiced, wasn't one where he felt he had physically earned.

Lost in her thoughts, she was broken from them when she felt something poke her forehead. A startled yelp leaving her, panic and terror soon took hold when her weak hold on the railing proved to be detrimental, Komachi slipping as she started to fall backwards. But almost instantly, she felt wrist being grabbed before a strong tug brought her back over the edge of the staircase. Panic, fear, confusion; there was a wild mix of emotions dancing in the blue eyes of the raven haired young lady, Komachi panting slightly as she tried to ease her hammering heart. She was shaken from her slight stupor when she felt a pair of strong hands place themselves on and grip her shoulders tightly, Komachi focusing her slightly dazed mind on the face in front of her, a face that usually brought her warmth and love only seemed to terrify her now.

"What in the world were you doing, Komachi?! You know that they're slick after mom cleans them, why were you leaning on the railing like that?! If I hadn't caught you, you would've fallen down the stairs! You would've been hurt or worse!" Hachiman snapped at her in an extremely angry and disbelieving tone, Komachi feeling her heart and mind freeze as the furious expression on the face of her brother wasn't one that she had ever remembered seeing.

"I-I... I-I d-don't know, O-Onii-chan... I-I was t-think about stuff and s-slipped..." Komachi tried to explain with a stammer to her voice, only wincing when she saw her brother's eyes light up even more with anger before simmering down.

"I... S-Sorry, it's just... You're not hurt, right?" Hachiman said after taking a second to calm himself, Komachi shaking her head in the negative as she squeezed her brother's hand to help calm and reassure him.

"Mmm, I'm not hurt, Onii-chan... Thanks..." Komachi told him with a small but warm smile on her face, the older Hikigaya nodding somewhat stiffly as he slowly let her go.

Draping the towel over his head, he headed back towards his room as Komachi silently watched him go, guilt seeping into her heart as she softly walked behind him. Passing through his doorway, Komachi stopped by it before holding its frame and leaning onto it, her eyed directed to the ground as she tried to find anything to say that would ease his worries. For the raven haired young man, he slipped on a shirt before hanging his towel on his chair, turning to look at Komachi as she still seemed affected his outburst. Wincing as guilt flashed in his eyes, he grabbed his phone and wallet before exiting his room, silently passing by Komachi without sparing her a glance as the young lady felt her heart crack from his silent treatment. Hearing him descend down the stairs and exit the house, Komachi shuddered slightly before she slowly made her way to her room. Slipping out of her clothes and putting on one of her stolen overly large shirts and a pair of shorts, she plopped face first onto her bed and simply stared at her phone.

"Onii-chan was angry... Angry that I almost got hurt spacing out... Ha... Komachi, when are you going to grow up..." Komachi whispered to herself as she swiped through the various texts and photos sent to her by her friends, pausing when she saw a text from one of her classmates asking her out on a date.

[_'Hey Hikigaya-san, Ootori here! I was wondering if you'd be free later to maybe hang out and see a movie with me? Let me know alright!'_]

"A date..." Komachi repeated as she furrowed her brows while trying to recall which of her classmates was Ootori, a raised brow being all that she offered when she finally recalled the young man.

"Let's see... Shorter then Onii-chan, shiny brown hair, sparkly eyes, on the baseball team, real popular with the other girls... What a catch, huh." The ravenette quipped with a snide tone, replying in the negative before moving onto the next message.

Spending the next fifteen minutes on her bed, texting with her friends and classmates, Komachi paused when she heard the front door open. Checking the time on her phone, she sighed softly when she was going to be alone again with her brother, the awkward atmosphere she felt about her brother having not lifted in the slightest. Hearing his ascending the stairs, she scrambled for the pair of headphones resting on the window sill, plugging them into her phone and putting them on before he entered, if he did. Her prediction proved true when she heard knocking on her door, opting to ignore it as she opened up the video app on her phone and started watching videos of cats. Before long the knocking stopped altogether as a bit of her heart ached, a bit saddened that he wasn't as pushy or worried as he usually was. She was proven wrong once more when the door to her room opened, the head of her older brother peeking through the doorway as reflected by her phone's screen.

Watching him through that reflection, she saw him looking at her with guilty eyes which caused her to grip her phone tighter. With the older Hikigaya, Hachiman reached into the bag that he had and pulled out a small tub of matcha and strawberry ice cream, moving to place it on the desk beside her bed. Pausing a bit after placing the frozen treat down, Hachiman reached over and gently ran his hand through her raven locks, softly tussling her hair before leaning down and placing a chaste kiss on her head. Staying there for a few precious seconds, he rose and left her side, though not before patting her head in a loving and gentle manner.

"Sorry Komachi, for yelling at you." He uttered in a soft tone before turning and heading back to his room, the raven haired young man never seeing the quivering form that was his little sister as Komachi teetered on the edge of tears.

The door to her room closing, she took a breath while sniffling as she hastily wiped away the tears that were beginning to spill out of her eyes. Rising, she sat up and stared at the ice cream he had left for her, being her favorite flavor no least. A shaky breath leaving her, she mustered up her courage and forced herself out of bed, intent on reifying the misunderstanding that currently split the two. Grabbing the tub of ice cream on her way out, noting that he had also left a spoon and napkin for her, Komachi strode towards his room with shaky but confident steps. When she arrived at his door, all thoughts and confidence previously filling the raven haired young lady left, only doubt and guilt remaining as she tried to think of anything to help mend the sticky situation she found herself in.

_"Going with the cutesy, clumsy routine is definitely out of the picture, Onii-chan is probably still feeling guilty about yelling at me and that stupid routine got us into this mess in the first place. The serious routine should work but then it'll get awkward to get out of it when things calm down, he's not used to seeing me that serious. Ugh, why did I have to start day dreaming about him anyway!? This is all your fault, you've never yelled at your precious Komachi before! __Dummy, __nincompoop,_ Onii-chan!_"_ Komachi mentally screamed to herself as she tussled her hair in pure confusion, unable to get a proper read on the current situation having never truly had her older brother yell and scold her.

"_Ha... Best approach is going to be the direct one, just tell him you're not angry at him and he was just worried about you. Alright. Yosh. Yosh! Fight on! Ko! Ma! Chi! Fight! On!_" She mentally pumped herself up as she lightly slapped her cheeks, taking a breath before knocking on her brother's door.

Silence met her attempt at establishing contact, prevailing for a few seconds that stretched to minutes as she awaited a response from him. A small frown crossing her face, Komachi braved the silence and opened the door with a wince on her face as she envisioned the unamused face of her brother staring at her once he came into view. The only thing that met her however, was his back to her as he seemed to be indulging himself in a game on his desktop. A sigh leaving her mouth at the sight, she squeezed the slightly soft tub of ice cream before making her way towards him. Debating on whether or not she should disturb him, she let her eyes wander his desk before they nearly bugged out of their sockets.

There wasn't any way that what she was looking at was real in any reality in which Hachiman Hikigaya was anything like her beloved brother was, a cynical but lovable oaf of a big brother. But what Komachi was currently looking at, a single piece of photographic evidence proved that perhaps she didn't know her brother as well as she did, and that thought struck a painful chord deep within her heart. All pleasantries were thrown out of the window at that moment, the hand that was once softly squeezing the tub of ice cream he had bought for her was now emptying the contents of said tub with how tight the death grip she had on it was. Her eyes narrowing and her mouth thinning to a small line, she dropped the ruined and emptied tub onto the floor, making a note to both apologize and clean it up properly after she was finished interrogating her brother. Not wasting any time, she reached over and grabbed his shoulder, her stony face cracking a bit when she saw him jump at the sudden touch.

Turning around in a hurry due to the fear pumping through his body, Hachiman soon calmed his hammering heart when he saw that it was his little sister who had grabbed him. A bit surprised that she was out of her room and in his, he was about to ask her how she was feeling only for the words to catch in his throat. The expression that was currently resting on the face of his little sister wasn't a pleasant one, being the complete opposite in fact. Her furrowed brows, downturned lips and accusatory gaze causing the man to flinch. Seeing as there wasn't anything he had done recently that would have elicited such a response from her, he could only presume that it was his outburst from earlier that had her in a foul mood.

"K-Komachi, is something the matter? Are you still angry?" Hachiman asked in a nervous tone, gulping slightly when she leaned towards him with her expression unchanging.

"Onii-chan. Can you explain what exactly _that_ is." Komachi asked in a serious and nonsensical manner, instantly raising red flags with the man as he slowly turned to look at what it was that had her attention.

When he saw the photo, all traces of color drained from his face. Moving quickly, he aimed to grab it and assure his fuming sister that what she was seeing was just a trick of the lighting. But being the capable sister that she was, Komachi had anticipated the man's action and swiped the photo herself. Bringing it up to look at, the younger Hikigaya skipping away to avoid the attempt by Hachiman to take back the photo, Komachi feeling her ire and jealousy grow the longer she stared at it.

"World's happiest couple, hmm. I didn't know you were dating anyone, Onii-chan. She's pretty." Komachi quipped in a dry and cold manner, the elder Hikigaya wincing as he rubbed the back of his neck while trying to find a way to explain the situation.

"It's nothing like that, Komachi. We were meeting to talk a bit over coffee and she got tricked into a promotion for couples." He explained as her expression didn't shift in the slightest, alternating between looking at the photo and at him.

"She must be pretty special, you don't meet just anyone for coffee. Not even Yui-chan or Yukino-chan unless they drag you off or it's for club activities. You haven't even invited me to have coffee and snacks with you at a cafe." Komachi added as a deeper wince crossed the face of the raven haired young man, unable to retort as Komachi was spot on with her assessment.

"So, who is she?" She finally asked as a complex mix of emotions suddenly swam in her brother's eyes, a twinge if guilt and confusion entering her heart as his expression seemed like that of a wounded animal.

"...Orimoto." He admitted as confusion crossed the face of Komachi, the ravenette tilting her head as she scrunched up her face trying to recall anyone who bore the name and their relation to her brother.

Her brows furrowing, lips pursing and cheeks puffing out, Komachi ran through all of her memories concerning her older brother and all of the acquaintances that he had. But like before, she was drawing a blank as to who this 'Orimoto' person was, cracking an eye open as she studied the photo once more. She was a very pretty and cute young lady with brown eyes and short, wavy/curly brown hair. Judging from the photo, she was at least as tall if not taller then Komachi herself, the lack of a uniform on her person further muddling the already murky image that was the young lady in the mind of the imouto.

"_Hmm... She can't be someone Onii-chan's met recently, I've already met everyone who he's met. Could she be someone he met over break?! Onii-chan was working at that bookstore wasn't he?! C-Could he have had a fateful s-summer encounter like in those books Yuka always reads?! No! Calm down!_" Komachi thought to herself as she took a breath to ease her already frazzled nerves, sharpening and focusing her mind once more as she shoved all useless thoughts to the back of her mind in order to solve the mystery in front of her.

"_The thing that's the most troubling was his eyes... Onii-chan hasn't looked that sad since middle school, when he got his heart broken by that witch. Wait... That... Witch... No... No, he didn't... Please... Please don't tell me you did what I think you did, Onii-chan..._" Komachi finally concluded as all traces of jealousy and anger faded from her person, disappointment and utter disbelief coloring her face instead as she moved to cup her brother's face and force him to look at her despite his obvious intention to avoid her gaze.

"Onii-chan... Please don't tell me that it's her... That it's that _witch_ that hurt you... Please..." Komachi asked as her voice quavered with distress, that distress and confusion only growing when she saw a pained grimace cross his face at the reminder of the moment that began to warp him and his view of the world.

"Why...? Why, Onii-chan? She, she hurt you! She hurt you so bad! She was one of those people ruined your life, both in and out of school! So why?! Why would you agree to go out with her of all people!?" Komachi snapped at him in an angry and completely disappointed tone, Hachiman flinching when he saw the anger in the eyes of his little sister growing the more she was reminded of how Kaori's rejection had affected him.

"Because of her and those girls, you were treated like you were a freak! Things weren't bad until you confessed to them, it was their fault that you were bullied so horribly in middle school! If one of them had a heart, a _real _heart, they would have told everyone that it was just an innocent misunderstanding! That what happened was just miscommunication and a silly little thing that happened! But no~! Those witches got your hopes up by trying to be the _nice girl_, to give you their numbers out of _pity_ because 'no one else did.' They were the reason why my Onii-chan would cry in his room at night..." Komachi continued as pain and sorrow began to fill her eyes as she remembered the days where her brother would return with his clothes dirty, his eyes desperately doing everything in their power to not show the tears that wished to fall to her when she asked how his day was.

"So why... Please tell me, Onii-chan... Why would you agree to go on a date with someone who hurt you so badly? I just don't understand..." She croaked as her voice broke, tears beginning to fall from her eyes while she softly embraced her brother's face a bit tighter as she pleaded to gain some insight into his train of thought.

Komachi's tears and her breakdown along with the cruel and bitter memories that made up his middle school years filling his mind, Hachiman did the only thing that he was able to do at that moment to cope with such a relentless and brutal assault. Wrapping his arms around his sister, he brought her into an intimate embrace as she started crying into his shoulder as the anguished memories that she held of her beloved brother's most trying times were just too much for the young raven haired young lady to handle.

How many days did she remember seeing him on the verge of tears when he returned home? How often did he have to put up a facade of a nonchalant and content school life to ensure that their parents were free from any added stress from their already demanding jobs? How many times did he push aside his own pains and agony to cater to Komachi and her fears? The answer to all of those questions was, too long and too many, as far as Komachi was concerned. Her brother was the greatest, gentlest and kindest brother that she had the luck of having, something that she took for granted back when it was just him and her returning home while their parents worked around the clock.

"Shh... It's alright, Komachi... Your Onii-chan understands how you feel..." He whispered softly as he ran his hands through her raven locks, Komachi squeezing him tighter as she sobbing seemed to grow with the words his whispered.

"N-No, you don't! I saw how badly those girls hurt you! I just want to protect you! Like how you always protect me! What if she hurts you again! I don't ever want to see you crying or hurting ever again!" She wailed in a weak manner while burying her face deeper into his shoulder, Hachiman blinking in surprise before a warm and loving smile graced his previously muddled face.

In his lifetime, Hachiman had seen a myriad of things that could enlighten, break, inspire and touch those who could share in those memories with the man. But what he was currently experiencing, it easily topped the list of the most touching things that the young man had come to witness. While they may argue, bicker and fight at time, it was moments like these that reminded and strengthened the ideals of family and its importance to the young man. Komachi wanted to protect him, to prevent him from making the same idiotic mistake that he made in the past. She was angry for him, when he had grown all but apathetic about what had happened, having never forgiven nor forgotten those who had hurt him.

"_Komachi is probably the only one who really knew how bad it was, huh... She saw me change first hand, after all..._" Hachiman thought to himself in a mirthless manner, gently stroking his sister's hair as she seemed to be calming down from her earlier outburst.

Before long, Komachi was sitting on the lap of her older brother whilst resting her head against his chest, taking in the steady and comforting heartbeat that sounded from within. There wasn't a need for words, not yet at least, as the two were still calming themselves after such an emotionally draining situation. Her eyes closed, Komachi savored the sound of her brother's heartbeat, the nostalgic sound taking her back to her youth where she found herself sleeping snuggled up against the chest of her brother when the silence of the house proved to be too much for her. Just hearing the subtle and rhythmic thumping of Hachiman's heart was enough to ease her own, being aided by him stroking her hair. Though, all good things were to end, evidenced when she finally voiced the remaining questions dancing in her heart.

"Onii-chan... You're not going to let yourself get hurt again… Are you?" She asked with a soft but worried tone, her worries being washed away sightly as he continued to stroke her hair in the same comforting manner.

"No, not this time, Komachi." Hachiman reassured her with a sure sounding voice, the younger Hikigaya peeking up at him with curious eyes as he seemed to gain a distant look in his eyes.

"Orimoto and I had a bit of a talk. I know how it sounds, but what's happened, happened." He told her as Komachi tilted her head at the statement, a small frown crossing her face as she returned her head to his chest to hear his heart to calm her.

"...I don't agree, Onii-chan... No one can be hurt so badly and just let it go so soon..." She countered as Hachiman chuckled a bit, a handsome sound that drew a small smile from Komachi as she nuzzled against his reverberating chest.

"Guess my cynical nature rubbed off on you, huh? And yeah, I didn't let it all go. It's still there, and it probably won't be going away for a while. But, she's trying to change. If there's one thing I can respect, it's someone who's doing their best to become a better person. Case and point: me." Hachiman said with a small smirk on his face, Komachi giggling a bit as she couldn't fault her brother for his line of thinking.

"And it's already different from how it was, so there's no need to worry, alright?" He told her as Komachi gained a slightly dubious look in her eyes, an amused glint entering the eyes of the older Hikigaya.

"What do you mean, Onii-chan?" Komachi asked as Hachiman let a soft sigh leave his mouth, looking out the window as a somewhat wistful glint filled his eyes.

"She was the one who asked me out this time." He stated as Komachi's eyes widened a bit at the revelation, though they returned to their normal state when she recalled the other events that happened in the past.

"Just promise me that you won't be hurt..." Pleaded the raven haired young lady in a soft and shaky tone, Hachiman's eyes softening as he leaned down to kiss her head.

"Cross my heart and hope to die. Though I reserve the right to choose when and how I die." He quipped as she had a snort of amusement leave her, growing red with embarrassment when she heard him snicker at her.

Spending a few more minutes simply enjoying the other's company, the time to part came when Kamakura meowed as he entered the room. The sight instantly caused the two sibling to panic as they scrambled to distance the cat from lapping up the melted ice cream that was slowly spreading across the floor. Komachi embarrassingly left the cleanup of her mess to Hachiman as she jolted to grab Kamakura before he could get any closer to the puddle of melted deliciousness, her brother having already started wiping and cleaning the mess by the time she had ensured that their beloved cat was a safe distance away from the mess and chemicals that were to be used to clean it. A bit saddened and guilty, Komachi was broken from those depressive thoughts when she tapped on her forehead by Hachiman, the man waving off her apologies with a small smirk. The two heading downstairs, Komachi's sullen mood was brightened when she saw him pull out another tub of her favorite ice cream from the freezer, happily claiming it and enjoying it as the man watched with an amused expression.

After ensuring that she was out of her sullen and vulnerable state, Hachiman headed back to his room to finish the 'Tsugumi route' that he had been interrupted whilst playing through. Watching him go, Kamakura yawned before hopped off of the couch and followed behind the young man, Komachi unsuccessfully trying to draw the cat to stay and keep her company. Seeing as she was alone with her tub of ice cream, she headed back to her own room and reflect on what had happened so far in the day. Overall, it was rather chaotic for being just shy of two o'clock.

Plopping onto her bed, she rested her back against the headboard as a soft sigh leave her mouth, Komachi glancing up at the ceiling before turning to look out the window as her brother's words never stopped bouncing around her mind. As they did, the smile and energy faded from the face and body of the raven haired young lady. She was still unable to grasp what he was thinking. Komachi believed in second chances, she believed that everyone had some degree of good and kindness in them, barring a few notable exceptions. And unfortunately for the brunette, Kaori wasn't one of those people who Komachi felt deserved such a chance. Turning over, she unlocked her phone and opened her journal app, creating a new entry as she quickly began inscribing the thoughts plaguing her.

['_Ha... Just what is Onii-chan thinking. He remembers what that witch, what all of those witches, did to him, so why? There's something that she wants from him, I know it. She wouldn't just change her mind about Onii-chan after a few years, not unless she's as shallow as a kiddie pool. Ha, what am I talking about, of course she is. I hate myself that I took so long to remember who she was, I should've known when I saw that look in his eyes. I'm sorry, Onii-chan, but there's something wrong here. I'm not buying that she's just 'trying to be a better person,' not when she had all of your middle school years to do that. And especially not when she kept treating you like how all of those other witches did, there's no way someone who did that is a good person. Not at all. Even if, by some wicked charm that witch put you under, you still have an inkling of feelings for her, I won't be tricked. I promised to protect you, Onii-chan and, like you, I intend to keep my promise.__ Even if you hate me, I want you to know that I'm just doing what I think is best for you.'_]

With Hachiman, the raven haired young man was sniffling as he wiped away the corners of his eyes as the tears that lined them were carried off by the tissue in his hand. He had finally finished, finished best girl's route and was currently enjoying the scene of Tsugumi finally sharing a kiss with the protagonist. While not the most groundbreaking route, it was the most heartfelt as she had finally found the courage and resolve to confront her own feelings.

"Finally, she had her happy ending... Next is Ruri-chan, right?" Hachiman sniffled as he dabbed away his remaining tears, moving to look at the secret fifth heroine as her cold and piercing gaze was a stark contrast to Tsugumi's kind crimson orbs.

A content sigh leaving his mouth, he leaned back and stretched his slightly taut muscles. Checking the time, he was a bit surprised to see that it was just a bit after three. Getting up, he stepped outside his room and checked on Komachi, gently rapping on her door before cracking it open and seeing her softly snoozing. Smiling at the sight, he closed the door and left her to sleep, moving downstairs to start on a late lunch or early dinner. Though, as he was pulling a carton of eggs out, his phone ringing stole his attention.

[_'H-Hachiman! H-Hello, it's Saika! U-Umm... I-I was wondering if you're not busy later, w-would you like to have d-dinner with m-me tonight and talk a-about earlier...'_]

"What time and where." Hachiman answered almost automatically as he heard the voice of his angel, only snapping from it as horror soon filled his eyes as he recalled what exactly had happened in their prior meeting.

[_'A-Ah! R-Really!? Great! I-I'll text you the details! I can't wait to see you, Hachiman.'_]

With a somewhat fluffy and affectionate parting, Saika hung up as Hachiman was left numbly holding his phone to his ear. Slowly sitting down, he let his head drop onto the counter as total defeat filled his person. A long sigh leaving his person, Hachiman lamented his current life as the realization of what was happening finally hit him.

"...I'm not going to finish Ruri-chan's route, am I." He asked Kamakura as the cat was taking a drink, the feline turning to look at Hachiman before meowing and returning to his water.

"I thought so too."

* * *

**And that's a wrap. Thanks for reading, stay awesome.**


	8. Chapter 8

"Yo." - Person Talking

"_Yo_." - Person Thinking

**And here is a sudden new chapter. Let's a go. **

* * *

"Haa... What am I doing..." A sulking Hachiman lamented to himself as he laid on his bed in a defeated manner, staring with eyes even deader then usual at the reflection in his phone.

Currently, the raven haired young man was bemoaning his latest folly from two hours prior, having accepted Saika's dinner invitation without a second to think over the decision. An honest mistake for the youth, given his rather eccentric infatuation with Saika as soon as he heard her invite him to have dinner with her, it was almost instinct that he accepted. A sigh leaving his mouth when as he buried his face into his pillow, he cursed his adoration of the silver haired young lady, who he had honestly believed was a young man given their time together and their talks. Why? The young man idly wondered what could drive the silver haired young lady to hide her gender. It didn't seem like bullying was a cause, though that was purely speculation as the raven haired youth had no knowledge of her past or background. He was broken from his rambling when his phone suddenly chimed, the young man stiffening as a message from Saika crossed his screen.

["Hachiman! It's Saika, I just wanted to let you know that w-we'll be having dinner at Tokyo Sea Life Park's terrace restaurant! ! I-I already made reservations for us at seven o'clock, so we don't have to worry about not getting a table or waiting too long! S-See you then!"] Read the message from Saika, the raven haired young man cursing himself to high hell for feeling his heart hammer and flutter with such a simple message.

"T-Totsuka really went out of her way, huh... I-I guess she actually was a girl the whole time... Gah! Damn you, Hachiman! Looking back on all those times, weren't you bordering the line that perverts straddle?! Totsuka has to be an angel sent down from heaven since she hasn't reported you for all of those offenses!" He suddenly screamed into his pillow as the memories of all of his awkward and embarrassing interactions with the young lady came crashing to the forefront of his mind, his face red with embarrassment and self-mortification as he cursed himself for acting like such a fool.

He was broken from lamenting his fate when the sound of his mother calling for help caught his ear, the young man sighing as he rose from his pitiful position and headed downstairs. Passing through his room, he descended the stairs and saw his mother heading to the kitchen with her usual content and somewhat sleepy expression. Catching the sight of her son, she smiled warmly at him as he returned it with a small one of his own, moving to her car to help gather the rest of the groceries that she had brought. By the time Kanami had returned to help her son, she blinked as she saw him carrying the rest of her load with only a slight strain on his face. Smiling, she moved to help grab a few bags that seemed to be hanging a bit lower on his left arm, Hachiman nodding his head in appreciation as the two entered the kitchen together.

"Thanks, Hachi~! How's your day off been? You left the house early, didn't you?" Kanami asked as she started putting away the groceries, Hachiman stiffening a bit as he immediately recalled the rather hectic experience that was his little meet-up with Kaori.

"M-Mmm, it's been alright." He answered rather stiffly as his mother paused to glance at him, Hachiman feeling the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end as a rather coy smile slowly crept across her face.

"Ara? Could it be... Has my little Hachi finally found a girlfriend!?" She nearly exclaimed as as skittered up to him with shining eyes, Hachiman feeling his soul practically leave his body when Kanami began to press him for the details of his outing.

"Come'on~! Tell me! Pretty please! You don't ever tell Okaa-san these things anymore!" Kanami pressed her son as she had her arms wrapped around his waist to prevent him from fleeing, Hachiman blushing up a storm as he tried to pry his mother off of him as gently as possible while avoiding her questions.

Pouting at her son, Kanami tried to break down his will with the bribe of making his favorite food, a dark and tempting offer that the young man nearly fell for only for the meeting he had promised Saika earlier to return to his mind. After a few more minutes of struggling, Hachiman managed to free himself as his mother shot a betrayed and faux-hurt look his way, the youth sighing as he continued putting the rest of the groceries away whilst his mother continued pouting. Finishing the task in an awkward silence, he was about to leave only for his mother to stop him, Kanami offering him a small but warm smile as she gestured to the countertop. Seeing what she was getting at, Hachiman had a soft soft leave his mouth though there was a tiny smile on his face as he followed her and sat down beside her.

"You've been smiling a lot more lately." Kanami quipped with a loving tone as her son's cheeks gained a tinge of pink, adverting his gaze as his mother's equally loving laugh darkened the flush on his face while she gained a somber expression.

"I know that your father and I haven't given you nearly as much attention as you may have liked Hachi. Even if you try to deny it, we both know that any child will want some spoiling from their parents." Kanami said in an equally somber tone as her eldest stiffened slightly, a melancholic glint crossing his eyes as his mother reached over and gently ran her hand through his hair.

"And I wish we would've payed more attention to you too, but you've always been the perfect son." She continued as Hachiman flinched at the outrageous claim, turning to look at his mother with wide eyes while trying to see any hint of deception on her face.

"Even when your father and I were busy working late into the morning, when you and Komachi would come home to an empty house; not once did you ever complain to us or cry like Komachi did. All our little Hachi would do was calm down his crying little sister, clean the house after doing his homework before making dinner for him, his sister and the parents who should've been the ones doing it. So don't give me that look, okay? My little Hachi, our Hachiman, is the most thoughtful and kindest son any parents would be lucky to have." Carried on Kanami as she continued to run her hands through her son's hair, Hachiman gritting his teeth while adverting his gaze once more as the all too familiar sting of tears began to nip at the corner of his eyes.

"Tch... A-Any kid in the same situation would do the same. I'm no one special, mom." Hachiman countered with a slight waver to his voice, internally screaming as his mother and her praises towards him still remained one of his greatest weaknesses.

"Hehe, maybe~! But my Hachi is extra special and works harder then anyone when he wants to! And the lucky, lucky girl who tries to snatch him away will have to go through Okaa-san first!" Kanami chirped in a bright tone as Hachiman snorted, a soft but warm fit of laughter leaving his mouth as he shook his head.

How long had it been since he had something as simple as a small chat with his mother? The last time would have been before the incident in middle school. While some would place the blame on his parents for failing to see what their son was going through, Hachiman would refute those claims as they were his worries and his alone. Why would he add another burden for his parents to shoulder when they already had so much on their plates? While it wasn't healthy or a 'right' choice of action, Hachiman would take the humiliation and pain of those years of middle school over and over then adding to his parents' stress. Though, he wouldn't have minded if they told him that they loved him a bit more then they usually did.

"Right, what kind of unfortunate and unlucky girl is going to have to be saddled with this negative and cynical Hachiman for the rest of her life? Even when Saki's father told me that she likes me, I highly doubt that she and her family would be too thrilled to have a husband and son-in-law like me." Hachiman said in an offhanded manner, though he instantly froze once his mind caught up to the rest of his words.

"So you do have a girlfriend! Her name is Saki? What's she look like?! Is she pretty!? She has to be right! Any girl who has the eyes to see my Hachi's good points has to pretty! Can I meet her! You should call her over for dinner! You've already met her parents, so there's no problem right! Ah! Let me call your father and tell him!" Kanami gushed as she fired question after question at her son before pulling out her phone, Hachiman moving to try and take her phone as crimson colored his entire face.

"M-Mom! She's not my girlfriend! Saki is just someone that I know from class! And don't bother dad over something to trivial!" He snapped at her with complete embarrassment in his tone, Kanami ignoring her as she happily skipped away from him whilst texting her dearest.

"Oh, we should have sekihan tonight! Can you please call her over for dinner, Hachi? I really want to meet her!" Kanami asked once more with an even more pleading tone, Hachiman barely being able to utter anything intelligible as he tried to find a way out of the current situation.

"Mom! Cut it out already, sheesh! I'm not a kid anymore..." Hachiman groaned as he buried his face into his hands, Kanami having a lighter fit of laughter leave her as she moved to pat her son softly and lovingly on the head.

"I know, Hachi, but that's exactly why Okaa-san teases you. It's been so long since I've been able to tease you like this, the last time was probably when you started middle school." She said in a soft tone, Hachiman grumbling under his breath as he was unable to refute his mother's claims.

It was exactly as she had said, they never really had these kinds of talks much since the whole middle school fiasco. Seeing it at that angle, he sighed in a good natured manner as his mother giggled happily. Before long, the two were happily chatting about the mundane and everyday that they both experienced, Kanami pouring out her frustrations over the work that 'mysteriously' piled up on her desk while she was away on vacation, a vacation that she had put in nearly half a year prior to actually taking. Watching as his mother childishly whined and pouted about 'undeserving, lazy and malicious' co-workers who were jealous of her achievements and youthful energy, he simply shook his head while making her a small cup of her favorite iced matcha tea. Throwing in a comment every now and again, placed the freshly brewed cup of tea in front of his mother, who offered him a warm smile while taking it and giving it a small sip.

"Hmm! Wow, this is even better then before, Hachi!" Kanami gushed as she happily helped herself to the delightful treat her beloved son had prepared for her, the younger Hikigaya having a small and warm smile grace his face at her praise.

Before long, the alarm on Hachiman's phone went off, the two in the kitchen jumping slightly as the youth rapidly moved to quiet the device. Puling it out, he silenced it as a sigh a relief left his mouth, offering his mother a wry smile that she returned with an amused one of her own. About to put his phone away, he froze before snapping to check the time currently displayed, paling a bit when he saw that it was barely an hour from his appointed meeting with Saika. Cursing slightly under his breath, knowing that his mother wasn't one who was very fond of such crude language, he moved to excuse himself only for a hand to clamp onto his shoulder. Gulping, he stiffly craned his neck and saw the terrifying smile of his mother staring straight at him, the phone held in his hand being snatched away swifter then he had seen outside of manga or video games.

"Ah. M-Mom! Give that back!" Hachiman snapped once he broke from his stupor, quickly making a grab for his phone only for his mother to hop away and look at what the alarm was for.

"...Hachi..." Came the rather eerie voice of Kanami, the young man reflexively standing straight and at attention as she moved to stare at him with a rather unsettling look to her eyes.

"What's this about 'dinner with my angel'?" She asked in that same frightening tone, Hachiman cringing both internally and externally at the horrible naming sense that he had when it came to Saika.

"T-That's... U-Umm..." Hachiman stammered as he was unable to explain the completely idiotic name, feeling his will and resolve crumble when under his mother's glare.

"What were you thinking joking around with Okaa-san!? You have less then an hour to get ready now!" She snapped at him in an angered tone, Hachiman yelping as she basically grabbed his arm and pulled him upstairs before pushing him into the bathroom.

"You hurry up and shower! And be sure to use plenty of shampoo and conditioner! I'll do your hair after you finish so don't dry it completely, having it a little damp will help me style it! I'll also have your clothes picked out for your date, so don't you even think about not wearing what I pick out for you!" She told him in an excited tone before slamming the door in his face, moving to his room to start the battle that would no doubt be one of the toughest she'll face as a mother.

With Hachiman, the young man stood still as he tried to catch up and process what had just happened in the span of a minute. Blinking, he broke from the minor stupor before a sigh of absolute resignation left his mouth, turning to look at the mirror as the exhausted youth reflected in it only added to his growing headache. Figuring that resistance was futile, he stripped down before hopping into the shower, a sound of content leaving as the rain of hot water washed his tension and worries away. But, all good things were to pass as he finished showering, wrapping his towel around his waist before heading to his room. Though, he was stopped when he saw Kanami standing in front of him with a grin on her face, quickly handing him a set of clothes as he sighed before closing the door once more. Looking down, he raised a brow when he saw the selection that his mother had picked out for him. A white long sleeve, buttoned up dress shirt, a gray cardigan, black slacks and matching tie and loafers, it was topped off with his glasses and a black watch resting on the pile of clothes.

Knowing that rejecting his mother's suggestions would be both futile and a sure-fire way to bring her to tears, he relented and donned the garments that she had picked out for him. Once he finished, he opened the bathroom as his mother scanned him from head to toe, smiling warmly as she nodded in approval. Making her way over to him, she rolled the sleeves of both his cardigan and dress shirt up just past his elbows, the young making mentally shaking his head as the idea of fashion still was a mysterious one to him. Adjusting his tie, Kanami stepped back a little to gauge her son's appearance, tilting her head and sticking her tongue out slightly as she moved her hands upwards to start the process of taming his hair. Though, that effort was a wasted one as Kanami sighed whilst throwing in the towel, settling on putting her son's hair into his usual ponytail. A small out crossing her face at her recent failure, she pulled away and gave him one more inspection, blinking slightly when she saw the entire ensemble in full.

"Ufufufu! I knew my Hachi was the most handsome boy around, but even Okaa-san is surprised!" Kanami chirped in a bright and loving tone, still a bit in disbelief that her formally grumpy and frumpy son could clean up so nicely in such a short amount of time.

"Heh, thanks for the bode of confidence, mom. But no amount of change are going to change these." Hachiman joked as he pointed to his eyes, Kanami's own grey orbs softening as she tiptoed to kiss him softly on the forehead.

"Don't make jokes like that, Hachi. Always remember that your family will always think that you look perfect." She chided him softly as he flushed a bit, both from her unexpected kiss and the loving words she imparted onto him.

"R-Right, message received, mom. Umm... I-I should be going now." He stammered as Kanami giggled at his contrasting image, seeing that even after all the years that had gone by he was still the same shy and loving boy she had raised.

"Mhmm! I've got your wallet and phone right here! Do you need me to take you there?" Kanami asked as he smiled a bit at her offer, though he shook his head as he saw underneath the ruse she had set.

"No thanks, mom. Firstly, it's just a train ride away. Secondly and most importantly, I really don't want you to embarrass me. Knowing you, you'd probably want to see just who it is that I'm having dinner with and the moment you knew that it was them, you'd throw me into the fire with all sorts of embarrassing questions and comments." He told with a small smirk her as gasped in shock, unable to believe that her son would even insinuate that she would cause him embarrassment.

"Y-You're so mean, Hachi! I wouldn't embarrass you! I just want to know who it is that you're having dinner with..." She pouted as Hachiman sighed at his mother's antics, still unsure if the stern and serious woman at the office was really the always sleepy and somewhat childish woman at home.

Bidding his mother a quick farewell, getting a quick hug and bode of confidence from her in turn, he descended down the stairs to slip on his shoes before heading out of the house. Checking his phone, he saw he still had just about half an hour to reach the aquarium before the appointed time. Seeing that, he nodded and checked up on the train schedule, seeing that he had nearly fifteen minutes before the next train would arrive. With that knowledge, he slowed his pace to a comfortable stroll, opening up the web app on his phone to get a start on checking out the venue and its menu. Lost in his thoughts, and in the various photos depicting a myriad of tantalizing offerings that were posted on the guest review page, he was completely ignorant of the stares that he was receiving. It wasn't until he arrived at the train station that he finally broke from his thoughts, heading towards the lobby as he awaited the arrival of the train that would take him towards his first proper dinner date.

(Time Skip - Twenty Minutes Later)

(Scene Change - Tokyo: Tokyo Sea Life Park)

Arriving at the sea park, Hachiman glanced around and saw the night life of the aquarium, a slight cringe crossing his face at the number of couples and families floating about. Stifling the sigh that wanted to leave him, he moved towards the fountain that rested in front of the main entrance way to the park. Opening his phone, he saw that he had just under ten minutes left until the fated meeting with Saika, the raven haired young man growing nervous as time seemed to slow and stall. Was he truly ready for such an event to occur? This was, of course, the first meeting with a female Saika not to mention it was Hachiman's first dinner date. Anxiety and tension beginning to cloud his mind, it was broken when he heard the soft and steady footsteps of someone, soft panting soon reaching his ears as he stiffly craned his head to stare at the lightly red face of one Saika Totsuka.

Breathtaking was but an understatement as to what she looked like to the youth unfortunate, or fortunate depending on whom you asked, enough to have laid his eyes on her. Currently, Saika was dressed in a light blue sweater dress of sorts that stopped just past her mid-thighs, the dress hugging her figure in a flattering manner that helped emphasized the curves of her body. A light white fur lined coat giving her a bit more warmth in the lightly chilly night, currently being pulled slightly over her hands as bashfully hid partially behind it. A pair of black stockings covering her milky white legs, she had a pair of simple white flats that complimented the small brown handbag that was currently hanging over her shoulder. The most startling thing about Saika, something that was definitely drawing the attention of Hachiman and a few others, was the french side braid running across the left side of her hair. It was a bit frightening, if Hachiman was completely honest, that such a small thing could change so much about a person. Topping of her look was a simple light blue barrette helping keep the braid both secured and emphasized, the silver haired young lady shyly fiddling with said barrette as she flicked her glance to and from the young man in front of her.

"Y-Yahallo, H-Hachiman! W-Were you waiting long?" Saika greeted the raven haired youth in a slightly anxious tone, the sound of her voice breaking him from his gawking as he locked gazes with her.

"N-No, just got here myself." He answered as normally as he possibly could which, in the current given situation, sounded stiff and forced as Saika blinked before giggling somewhat wryly at his reply.

"S-So, umm... S-Should we go in?" She asked as she scooted a tad closer to her dinner companion, beginning to feel uncomfortable with the number of stares being directed towards her from the others currently in the area.

"Mmm, let's." Hachiman replied in a curt but courteous tone, instantly feeling his 'angel protection protocol' activate upon seeing the slight distress crossing the face of the silver haired young lady.

Her heart skipping a beat when she heard how reassuring he sounded, though there was a nagging whisper in the back of her mind that urged her to think otherwise. Confident? Jealous? Possessive? Saika mentally shook her head as the various strange and foreign feelings that were dancing through her heart and mind were almost too much for her to bear, opting to stick shoulder to shoulder with the raven haired young man as they entered the sea park. For Hachiman, the glasses wearing youth was internally screaming with the current situation, stealing a glance towards his companion when he thought she wasn't looking.

"_Oi, oi, oi! What're you doing, Hachiman?! Stop those perverted gazes! What would Yukinoshita say if she saw you doing this?! 'Oh? Hiki-pervy-kun, mind your wandering eyes, you wouldn't want to be arrested on the grounds of sexual assault or harassment by undressing Totsuka-san with your eyes which resemble those of a belligerent criminal's.' She'd say something like that for sure._" Hachiman thought to himself as they entered the park, turning to look at Saika as her eyes seemed to sparkle a bit with the appearance of the numerous fish that were swimming around.

A small smile crossing his face at the sight, the two made their way towards the terrace, where a hostess was smiling as she helped guide a family towards a fellow employee. Turning, she blinked when she was face to face with Hachiman and Saika, a smile crossing her face as she bowed in a courteous manner towards them.

"Good evening you two! Do you have a reservation?" She chirped as Saika nodded a bit too enthusiastically for her own liking, growing more red when their hostess giggled in a knowing manner towards her whilst a slightly scary glint shone in her eyes.

"Y-Yes! It should be under Saika Totsuka!" The silver haired young lady replied with a slight hitch to her throat, the hostess smiling as she checked the register, running her eyes down the line of reservations before striking the name that was presented to her.

"Miss Totsuka, party of two, correct!" Their hostess asked once more for clarification, the two young adults nodding in tandem as she quickly fetched a pair of menus before ushering them to follow her.

"Right this way, you two!" Chirped their hostess as she led them to a small table for two beside the window which bore a splendid view, instantly drawing blushes from both teens as she giggled at their expense.

Leaving them alone with their menus, she headed off to get them some water whilst they perused the menu. Alone with just the sounds of chatting and laughter from the other patrons with the soothing music in the background, there was a nearly palpable awkwardness in the air between the two. A deep blush on her face at the romantic atmosphere currently surrounding them, Saika couldn't help but feel nervous and embarrassed when it was just Hachiman and herself. Sneaking a glance at the young man from over the top of her menu, she was a bit surprised to see that he wasn't as nervous or embarrassed as she was, seeing as he had a furrowed brow whilst perusing the menu in front of him. Seeing that her date wasn't as fazed as she was, she forced herself to calm down as she looked over the menu herself. But just as she looked over the menu, the crushing reality of her budget came to the forefront of her mind as she had forgotten to ask her parents for an advance concerning her allowance.

"Hmm... What are you thinking about getting, Totsuka?" Hachiman suddenly asked as she squeaked a bit in turn, jumping slightly as she quickly scanned through the various foods listed in front of her for the cheapest option.

"U-Umm... I-I'm not sure yet, Hachiman. I'm sort of on a budget tonight, hehe..." Totsuka admitted with embarrassment and a bit of shame on her face, instantly drawing a sharp look from Hachiman as he shook his head.

"Don't worry about that. While I find it archaic and a bit demeaning towards males like myself that men are usually left with the bill for an outing like this, you went out of your way to get us a reservation here of all places, so get anything that you want." Hachiman told her as she vehemently shook her head in the negative, unable and unwilling to allow the young man she had invited out to dinner to pay for her half of the meal.

Focusing her gaze on him to refute his offer, she felt her heart catch in her throat when she saw him illuminated in the light of the restaurant. The soft blue lights that were the main sources of light in the restaurant, with a number of brighter white lights dotting important areas for employees and patrons alike. In the amiable and warm glow of the terrace, Saika saw Hachiman's gallant and handsome visage enhanced even more with the lovely and stunning atmosphere, feeling a deep blush burn her face as she tried put a lid on the rabidly bubbling pot that were her feelings for the young man. Meekly looking back down at the menu, she made a soft sound of reluctant affirmation while Hachiman offered her a small smile in turn. The two returning to their menus, Saika indulged herself by looking at the more pricey offerings, hearing a small growl from her stomach as absolute mortification filled her being. Her face now a burning mess, she prayed to any deity that would heed her plea that the glasses wearing youth hadn't heard the mortifying sound. Before long, they were greeted with the sight of their hostess turned waitress with two glasses of water in hand, happily handing it to the two before pulling out a small order pad.

"Would you two like a few more minutes to decide?" She asked as Hachiman mulled it over for a second before he nodded his head in the positive, the young woman turning to look at Saika as she meekly nodded her head as well.

"Though, for a starter could we have an order of the ahi tuna tataki. Would you like anything, Totsuka?" Hachiman asked the waitress in a tone that was a complete contrast to his usual brash and somewhat abrasive manner of speaking, Saika almost finding herself swooning as she became the target of his soft and warm gaze.

"Y-Yes! U-Umm, could we also get an order of edamame as well?" Saika asked as their waitress smiled at the polite pair she had been assigned to, happily nodding in the positive before she bid them a farewell to relay their orders to the kitchen.

"So, have you decided on what to order?" Hachiman asked once more as Saika smiled a soft smile, timidly nodding her head as her companion shot her an amused and expectant look.

"U-Umm... I was a-actually thinking of getting the umm..." Saika trailed off as her blush returned tenfold, Hachiman having to bite his tongue slightly to avoid making an idiotic or perverted comment in such a public setting.

"R-Right, no need to be embarrassed or anything, Totsuka. We're... Friends, right?" Hachiman told her in a somewhat hopeful tone, instantly causing the silver haired young lady to snap her head up to stare at him with nothing but surprise on her face.

"Of course we're friends, Hachiman! We're the best of friends!" She reassured him without a hint of the embarrassment or nervousness from earlier, her eyes burning with a forigen sense of passion that sparked a hint of warmth in the chest of the man.

"Heh, then there's no need to be embarrassed then. What were you thinking about ordering?" He asked once again as she blinked before a tinge of pink colored her cheeks, the silverette playfully puffing her cheeks out at him in a powerful pout.

"Mou... You're so mean, Hachiman!" She snapped at him in a tone of faux hurt, the two staring at each other before a soft fit of laughter and air of levity gently took hold of the two.

"I was thinking of getting the, umm... The 'couple's dinner for two'..." Saika finally said with a sheepish tone, Hachiman soon sharing in her embarrassment though he pushed it aside as he nodded in approval at her choice.

"Fine choice, Totsuka. Not only is it a discounted item, it still let's us have a bit of variety and the freedom to pick out our sides." Praised the raven haired young man as Saika beamed a warm and bright smile at him, the two finding themselves laughing softly once more as their waitress arrived with their starters in tow.

"Alrighty you two! Here's your edamame and tataki! From how you two are laughing, can I guess that you're ready to order now?" Their waitress chirped with a knowing look on her face, deeply enjoying the looks of embarrassment that crossed the faces of the two.

"Mmm, r-right. We'll take the 'couple's dinner for two', please." Hachiman replied as evenly as he could, which wasn't very level as the hint of amusement that danced in their waitress' eyes were a telling sign.

"Mhmm! And are the house salad and dressing, clam clear soup, lobster motoyaki, kobe medallions medium rare, grilled asparagus and mash potatoes fine with you two?" She asked whilst jotting down the order of the two, Hachiman shaking his head in the negative while Saika nodded hers in the positive.

"If I could, could I swap out the potatoes for white rice?" He asked as their waitress nodded with a smile on her face, checking them for any other substitutions before she bid them farewell once more.

"Well, better start eating before these get cold." Hachiman suggested with a slightly wry tone, Saika giggling as she nodded and began working on her order of edamame.

"S-So, how was your break, Hachiman?" Saika asked as she took the initiative to break the ice, Hachiman offering her a small smile for taking the first step as he wiped his mouth.

"Pretty much the same as the others. Though, I did pick up a part-time job." He answered as Saika was instantly drawn in, the mental image of a Hachiman in a butler's outfit or uniform tickling a strange portion of her mind.

"Really, where at?" She asked in an excited tone as the young man flinched a bit at her rather enthusiastic reply, though he opted to indulge her as Saika ruthlessly beat down her lizard brain as it was demanding that he show her a picture of him in his uniform.

The two falling into a light and amiable set of conversation, they were completely ignorant of the terrifying smile that was split across the face of their waitress. With said waitress, she was hurriedly moving to the kitchen with the orders of the two in tow. Making it to the kitchen in record time, she set the ticket on the line before moving to the register to modify the order of the two. While things may have seemed like it was a normal activity, the source of the smile that was currently crossing the face of the waitress was the sole line that was currently empty concerning the drink that the couples who ordered the aforementioned dinner special typically selected, usually choosing among the various wines that lined the walls of the bar beside the kitchen. And seeing that Hachiman and Saika had failed to select a drink, and taking note that both were very underage, their waitress had taken it upon herself to customize their dinner's coupled drink.

"...Azami is doing it again..."

"Ha... Just let her be, she'll hit you if you say anything."

"She really changed and swapped shifts just to serve those two kids..."

"Must be nice being the owner's granddaughter, getting to mess around with young couples in love."

"It's probably why she's still single despite being twenty-"

"If you've got time to gossip about me, then you've got time to get those legs moving!" Snapped Azami as she turned to glare at the employees currently huddled together while pointing and looking at her, the group yelping as they scattered to finish the various tasks that they were distracted from.

Harrumphing while she watched her nosy and noisy co-workers and employees rush to finish their tasks, she clicked her tongue before moving back to the task at hand. Moving to the bar, she selected a rather large highball glass before tossing it in the blast chiller. Grabbing a cocktail shaker, she started filling it with a mix of sakura blossom syrup, a sprig of lemon juice, a dash of lime soda, some body of sparkling water and a bit of pink food coloring to lighten the color of the mocktail. Giving it a set of quick but heavy shakes, she set it aside before securing the chilled glass from earlier. Pouring the freshly mixed drink, she grabbed a strawberry and knife before quickly and expertly carving it into the appearance of a fully blossomed sakura. Sitting it on the rim of the glass, she grinned as she pulled a couple's straw with the signature appearance of a heart. Setting it on a tray, she proudly walked towards the kitchen as the order of the two was just being set out to take, Azami skillfully whisking it away with her free hand. Watching her leave after pulling off such a quick and efficient set of actions were her disbelieving co-workers and employees, all of them still unable to grasp the sudden changes in mood of the brunette.

"It's like she becomes a different person when she's playing cupid."

"Almost makes it feel like the Azami who hates working and would rather just direct customers isn't real."

"I wish that she'd move like that all the time. I would need to use both hands and make two trips to carry all of that."

"Right? All that daydreaming is probably why she's still sing-"

"Work. Now." Snapped the brunette with a smile on her face as she rounded to reprimand the chatting group behind her, the four squeaking as they skittered away to avoid the wrath of the woman.

Taking a second to calm her nerves, Azami reapplied her smile before making it towards the lightly chatting pair that was Hachiman and Saika. Seeing them, her somewhat forced smile melted to a true one, happily taking in the sight of such a vibrant display of youth. Arriving at their table before her own lamentation of her lack of youth hit her, Azami set down the various dishes before the two, giggling when she saw the stunned and awed stares that the couple in front of her were sending towards the food. Taking their finished plates, which they thanked her for, Azami bid them adieu before parting from their table once more, only to hide behind the counter of the bar as she waited for them to take notice of their specially made drink.

"Wow... It looks amazing!" Saika gushed as she pulled out her phone and began taking pictures of their dinner, Hachiman surprisingly doing the same as he sent a photo of his dinner to his mother as she had requested.

Seeing him busy trying to get a good angle for his photo, Saika felt her cheeks heat up and her heart hammer in her ears as she shifted her phone slightly, angling it just enough to capture a photo of the young man. Once she finished, Saika let loose the breath that she realized that she had been holding in, lifting her phone and nearly squealing when she saw the photo on display. There he was, Hachiman Hikigaya in all of his glory; the current photo angled in such a manner that it seemed like he was looking at an important business meeting or message, his face calm yet focused while an assortment of delectable food was laid out before him, seemingly less important then the vital task currently presented to him on his phone. Just seeing that photo, Saika felt herself falling in love all over again with the young man in front of her, a content sigh leaving her as she admired her newest treasure. But when she finally fell from the sudden high that came from seeing such a wonderful photo of her beloved, next came the realization of her words.

"_L-Love?! I-I-I love Hachiman!? N-No, I don't l-love him! Yeah, i-it's just the kind of love that best friends have for each other! Mhmm, that's right! Hachiman and I are best friends after all! Love between best friends is all this is! What sort of best friends don't imagine themselves getting happy over a photo of their best friend? Of hanging out and chatting together about everyday things? Or get happy over having dinner together with them? Or dream about them whisking her away from a demon king's castle on a white horse? Or of him ___valiantly _standing his ground against an army of monsters while he reassured her that he would be back for dinner? Or of Hachiman embracing her while teasing her about her femininity only to pin her to her bed and call her a naughty girl? Of Hachiman playfully and painfully dragging his teeth down her neck before he suddenly bit her shoulder, asking her what it was that she really wanted in that husky, deep, spine tingling voice of his? M-Mhmm! T-That's all the things that best friends think about with each other, after_ _all! Yes'sire!_" Saika reassured herself as she felt her blood pressure began to rise for some reason, quickly racing to grab the drink resting in the center of the table before while Hachiman did the same.

Breaking from their respective stupor when they felt the fingers of the other, they met each other's gazes before lowering their own, soon having their eyes widen when they saw the extremely 'lovey-dovey' looking beverage in front of them. Yanking their hands back as if the glass were made of fire, they adverted their gazes as crimson burned their faces. Watching the entire exchange was Azami, the brunette squealing as she had tears in her eyes at the youthful sight before her. Wiping away her tears, Azami headed towards the side of the bar and secured her 'cupid's bow and arrow' before stalking towards the pair. A few seconds passed before Saika mustered the courage that she had gathered from the rest of the night and tomorrow, moving to place her mouth on one of the straws while pitifully and pleadingly looking at Hachiman. As for the young man, he wasn't able to comprehend what was even happening at the moment. Was this the fabled 'couple's drink scenario' that he had always dreamed of and cursed those who had truly experienced? Gulping, he stared deep into Saika's eyes and nearly squeaked when he saw her shyly nod her head in the positive, the raven haired young man gritting his teeth as mortification burned through his veins.

"_Hachiman. You've already been fed by Isshiki, Yuigahama, Yukinoshita and Komachi. T-This level of attack shouldn't affect a veteran of such battles like yourself!_" He screamed at himself mentally, turning to look down at Saika's lips as a small bead of sweat dripped down the side of his face.

"_Oi, oi! Eyes up, you fool! Don't dirty our precious angel like that! Just do it and get it over_ with!" Thought the young man in a panic as he adverted his gaze whilst leaning forward, taking the other straw in his mouth as Saika made a sudden sound of surprise.

The sound startled the young man as he immediately parted with the straw, the sight drawing a saddened whimper from Saika that caused the young man to stiffen. A sigh leaving his mouth, Hachiman leaned forward once more and captured the straw in his mouth, the two sitting motionless as they awaited the other to break the tension. That tension was suddenly broken when Saika took a tentative sip, nearly making Hachiman jump from his skin if he hadn't readied himself for it. Seeing that she was comfortable enough to drink from the same cup as him, he followed suit in an equally shy manner. The two taking tiny sips, their embarrassment began to melt as the rather delicious taste of their drink overtook it. It was when they suddenly locked eyes that they froze once more, pink and red coloring the cheeks of the two as they simply sat there, staring into the eyes of the other while silent. A sudden flash broke them from their stupor, the two jumping slightly as they snapped to stare at the source of the flash.

"Ah... S-Surprise?" Azami said in a weak and forced manner, a wry and equally weak laugh leaving her as she pulled out the polaroid that she had suddenly taken.

Quickly shaking it, she passed it to Saika as the silver haired young lady seemed like she was on the verge of tears. Weakly craning her head to look at the photo, all traces of sadness and embarrassment vanished as she gasped in absolute awe at the breathtaking photo presented to her. It was a simple photo of Hachiman and herself, the lively hustle and bustle of the cityscape contrasting against the calm night sky filled with stars, the two of them staring into the eyes of the other with their matching straws. Everything about the photo was perfect in the eyes of Saika, the silverette turning to Azami as the brunette smile warmly at the hope swimming in her eyes.

"I'll go get you both a copy, ok? Enjoy the rest of your dinner!" She chirped before hopping away, drawing frightened looks from men in the room while the women suddenly began to fix their makeup and hair.

The awkward moment passing, for Saika at least, she happily helped herself to the meal before her. It wasn't until his stomach growled that Hachiman snapped from his stupor, shooting a shy glance at Saika only to see her blissfully enjoying her dinner. Seeing that, he opted to shelve his embarrassment for another time, no doubt a time that would be soon arriving. Before long, the two were happily chatting once more with each other, Saika absolutely overjoyed that her best friend understood her situation and that he promised to stand beside her and support her. His mere words nearly brought her to tears, and would have if not for the timely arrival of Azami and an older woman who seemed to be in her seventies.

"I'm deeply sorry that you two have been inconvenienced by my idiotic granddaughter. Please do not think that this is normal for our restaurant." The older woman said while bowing her head deeply, forcing Azami to bow her head as well as a cry of pain left her when a sudden pinch connected with her neck.

"O-Obaa-chan, i-it hurts! I-I already said that I was sorry! T-They were fine with it, r-right!" The brunette explained while turning to look towards the two for help, Hachiman and Saika laughing wryly when they caught sight of her teary and watery eyes.

"I-It was no problem, ma'am! In fact, I-I wanted to thank her for what she did." Saika admitted in a heartfelt tone, Azami staring at Saika as if she was an angel while the older woman sighed in relief.

"That is a relief to hear. For some reason, my granddaughter finds herself unable to contain herself when faced with 'youth' as she calls it. Again, I sincerely apologize for her unacceptable behavior. Please, feel free to select a dessert from the menu, it's the least that we can do for troubling you two." The woman said as Hachiman's eyes suddenly lit up, something that drew the attention and subsequent laughter from Saika and the owner of the restaurant.

Pink coloring his cheeks as his love for both sweets and free food once again proved to be an enemy rather then an ally, he turned towards Saika for her opinion as she giggled and shook her head in the negative. About to ask, she merely held up a photograph that caused his cheeks to flush even deeper. A somewhat annoyed but embarrassed grunt leaving him, the raven haired young man focused his mind on the desserts menu to rid him of the heat on his cheeks. It wasn't long until the young man selected a dessert, happily and slightly excitedly ordering matcha tiramisu, Saika finding herself drooling slightly at both the sight and sound of the sweet. Nodding with a smile, the older woman gathered their dishes with a single hand before grabbing her granddaughter by the ear, a squawk of pain leaving her as she was escorted to the kitchen.

"That dessert is coming out of your paycheck, Zami." The older woman quipped in a smiling but cold tone, Azami halting in her thrashing before tearfully nodding her head in acceptance.

The duo gone for the moment, Saika took the moment to admire and burn everything about the photo held in her hands to her mind. Not wanting to leave her best friend out, she happily handed Hachiman his copy of the photo as he flushed the instant he laid eyes on it. While he wasn't to deny any and all claims about the photo and it's subject matter, he wouldn't deny that it was a great photo. The framing, lighting, mood and subject matter; everything about the photo was simply amazing. Though, the moment began to picture himself and Saika as a couple, he instantly shattered that train of thought. A somber glint shining in his eyes, he let them close softly before pocketing the photo, drawing a confused and slightly worried stare from Saika. But before the silver haired young lady could ask what was troubling the young man, Azami and her grandmother returned to their table with their dessert in hand. Setting it down, the shining eyes of the two dimmed slightly when they saw the heart-shaped decoration on top of the dessert along with the single fork, turning to look at the pair of older women as Azami's grandmother smiled slightly.

"Though she may be a lazy, spoiled and bratty girl, my Azami hasn't failed once while playing cupid. Her perfect record of paring up others must be the reason why she's still single at her age. Thank you two again for understanding and may your future together be filled with happiness." The older woman chuckled as she bid the pair farewell, her teary eyed granddaughter chasing after her to deny the claim about her being single.

An awkward silence taking hold once more, the duo fought to cool their steaming heads. It took a minute or two, but eventually Saika recovered enough to stare down at the 'lovey-dovey' dessert in front of her. Glancing between the tiramisu, fork and Hachiman, she steadied her resolve whilst grabbing the fork, causing Hachiman to flinch as she shakily took a piece of the cake. nodding her head, she locked gazes with the young man across from her while holding out the fork towards him, Hachiman feeling a serious and foreboding sense of déjà vu at the current situation.

"H-Hachiman! H-Here, you try it first!" Saika declared with a determined fire to her eyes, the glasses wearing youth unable to find it in himself to refuse his angel no matter how painful or mortifying it was to be fed in such a public and intimate setting.

Leaning forward, he took the piece of cake in his mouth, Saika having kept eye contact with him the entire time as her blush seemed to intensify every second that passes. It wasn't just her blush as a slovenly smile soon crossed her face, her eyes gaining a somewhat frightening glint to them as Saika spotted a small smear of cream on the side of his mouth when she pulled the fork away. Her eyes locking onto her new target, her instincts as a maiden in love completely tuned and cut out the cries and screams of her rational side as it begged her to cease before she made a huge mistake and caused an erroneous misunderstanding. A futile effort as Saika slowly leaned forward to capture that stray piece of cream, and perhaps anything else that it was nearby, the tantalizing and delectable looking lips of the young man having absolutely no impact in the silver haired young lady's desire for that stray dollop of cream and anything that it was possibly connected to. Saika was broken from her stupor when fate, or an agent of fate perhaps, passed by them just as Saika was halfway from capturing the lips of the young man.

"Oh, is that you, Hikigaya-kun? Ah, it is, isn't it!" Gushed that agent of fate in a joyous tone, breaking Saika and Hachiman from their trance as they turned to look at the newcomer.

She was good-looking girl with curly shoulder-length brown hair that was freely flowing instead of being in it normal twin-braided form, her fringe was still cut short and parted to the left side of her face with her usual pink hair clips, two on the right, one on the left. Her gray eyes were filled with surprise and joy as she leaned a bit closer to see the face of the young man who she had placed her hopes in and had seen them come to fruition, though it wasn't exactly the way she had imaged it. Her sudden appearance was enough to stun Hachiman, instantly knowing and dreading what the warm and bubbly energy that was currently being exuded by the brunette in front of him would do to the already unfavorable situation.

"Ufufufu! It's your Shiromeguri-senpai! Ah, Hikigaya-kun, you've got some cream there." Meguri noted as she saw the small smudge on the corner of his lip, reaching over before wiping it away as if it were the most normal and natural thing to do in the world.

"Mmm! Delicious!" She chirped as she lapped up the small dollop of cream, instantly shattering the amiable atmosphere as an even more awkward silence took hold.

"Is something the matter?" Meguri asked innocently as Saika collapsed into her chair, a hollow look to her eyes as a single tear seemed to fall from her right eye.

With a happily chattinng Meguri on one side and a distraught Saika on the other, Hachiman lamented his current situation as he mentally cried rivers of tears. What was supposed to be a simple dinner date had evolved into a scene ripped straight out of a cringey rom-com, something that the old Hachiman would have killed to experience. But the new Hachiman, the wiser Hachiman, was above such sub-par cliches and standards; the only thing missing being the overly attached heroine or yandere arriving there or sending a message asking where the protagonist was at the moment, which would sound exactly like the chime of his own phone whenever he got a message.

["Onii-chan, where are you? Komachi asked Kaa-chan and she said that you went out for a little bit. Please come home soon; your poor, poor Komachi's Onii-chan batteries are running on empty not to mention her tummy."]

"...I'm never going to finish the Ruri route..."

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**And that's a wrap. Thanks for reading, stay awesome.**


	9. Chapter 9

"Yo." - Person Talking

"_Yo_." - Person Thinking

**And here is a sudden new chapter. Let's a go. **

* * *

"Is something the matter?"

Those words couldn't be more apt given the current situation. Standing there with her usually amiable and warm face set in a concerned look, Meguri Shiromeguri was staring at Hachiman with nothing but worry etched on her person. Reaching over, the brunette completely disregarded the hollow eyed Saika that was following her every move with more and more life leaving her body at the way the woman in front of her was so openly touchy-feely with Hachiman. Resting her hand on his forehead, Meguri hummed as she furrowed her brows and tested the temperature of the raven haired youth, growing a tad confused when she felt his entire face heating up and not just his forehead.

"O-Oh my, Hikigaya-kun! You're burning up! Do you need me to take you home!?" Asked Meguri in a tone of mixed fright and concern, finally snapping Hachiman and Saika from their trances as they turned to address her.

"N-No, I'm fine Meguri-senpai! I-It's just a bit embarrassing that, umm... Your hand..." Muttered the man as Meguri blinked at his reply, turning to look at her hand before blushing a bit as she jerked her hand away,

"I'm sorry! I didn't mean to embarrass you, Hikigaya-kun! Ufufu, I guess old habits die hard, huh!" Chirped Meguri as she beamed him an embarrassed but bright smile, Saika having the last bastions of her self restraint shatter as she injected herself into the conversation.

"H-Hachiman! W-Who is this?" Asked Saika using her most defenseless and needy tone, inwardly celebrating when she saw the man stiffen with a tinge of pink coloring his cheeks as she shot him an equally needy look.

"R-Right... Totsuka, this is Meguri Shiromeguri, she was our upperclassman last year before she graduated. Meguri-senpai, this is S-Saika Totsuka, she's a f-friend of mine." Answered the raven haired young man as a bright smile crossed the face of Saika, the silver haired young lady turning to smile at Meguri as the brunette offered her a smile of her own.

"Pleased to meet you, Totsuka-chan!"

"Pleased to meet you too, Shiromeguri-senpai! Thank you so much for taking care of Hachiman!"

The two sharing smiles, the atmosphere between them was anything but pleasant. From his seat, Hachiman shivered a bit even with the extra layer that he had on, the young man blinking before rubbing his eyes when he saw something hazy behind the two. Pushing his glasses up, he wiped both his eyes and lenses prior to focusing on the two chatting about him and simply stared; Hachiman debating if the silhouettes of the bunny behind Saika and the bear cub behind Meguri were real or just figments of his imagination. Staring in silence as they chatted about him, the two women were currently sharing stories about said man, each of them twitched slightly when the other mentioned something enviable such as Meguri embracing Hachiman to reassure him or of how he spent a night with Saika during their class trip. Within moments, Hachiman was but a bystander to bear witness to the embarrassing and wretched memories of his more 'intimate' moments with the pair, the raven haired young man eventually hiding his burning face by covering it with his hands.

"S-So, what're you doing here, Meguri-senpai?" Voiced the raven haired young man as the two broke from their 'battle', the brunette turning and giving him a warm smile as she gestured to sit with the two.

Seeing that, Hachiman quickly stood and offered his own seat for the woman, Meguri flushing at the gentlemanly act as she demurely took his seat to Saika's displeasure. Flicking his eyes towards a man who seemed to be their replacement server, the older man nodded with a knowing smile as he fetched another chair for their table. Sighing at the amusement that was clearly on the other man's face, Hachiman thanked him when he returned with the spare chair and took a seat for himself.

"Right then, where were we?" Asked Meguri after she casually took a sip from Hachiman's cup of water, the brunette smiling innocently when Saika clutched her own glass a tad tighter when she noticed that Meguri had drank from the same spot that he had.

"Just wondering what you were doing here." Stated Hachiman as Meguri smiled at him, moving to her purse and pulling out a folded piece of paper for the pair to look at.

"I was just meeting with someone who asked if I was able to tutor them in English, though with my part-time job and studies I wasn't able to fulfill that request. So we exchanged contact information and I offered her this flier for another tutor who I recommended but she declined. After that we chatted for a bit until it was time for us to part and what would you know! I heard Hikigaya-kun and just had to come over!" Explained Meguri in a bright tone as Hachiman grew a little red from her words and mischievous look, the two falling into a light bit of conversation while Saika found herself slowly pushed aside as Meguri started to tease the ravenette.

"Ufufu! That's not what I remember, Hikigaya-kun! I remember a certain someone who asked me to help them with passing their math and science exams so they wouldn't be teased by their clubmate, a certain someone who still hasn't paid me back yet~!" Sang Meguri as the young man beside her flushed deeper upon being reminded of Yukino and her taunting during their final exams the year prior, Hachiman grumbling under his breath as Meguri continued to tease him to Saika's distress.

Panic beginning to fill the silver haired maiden's body, she racked her mind to find a way to interject herself into the conversation without seeming like a desperate or jealous girlfriend, at least not until Hachiman accepted her confession. Her brow furrowing slightly, a spark of inspiration finally struck her as she gasped slightly and assumed a hurt and dejected posture. Almost instantly, she saw a change on Hachiman's face as his eyes darted over towards her to check on her as they had been during his conversation with Meguri. Upon spotting the sullen Saika's, the raven haired man's 'angel protection senses' flared to life as he politely cut off Meguri in the middle of her sentence.

"You alright, Totsuka?" He asked in a gentle and concerned tone, instantly melting the heart of the maiden as she seemed to turn to jelly at his worried look.

"M-Mhmm! I'm fine, Hachiman! I was just a bit sad that I don't have as many memories with you as Shiromeguri-senpai does." Replied Saika in a sullen and dejected tone, the man rebutting her statement as she shone with affection and adoration at the mention of the precious memories they had together.

Watching the duo fall into a stroll down memory lane themselves, Meguri kept her smile as she leered at Saika from the corner of her eyes. The silver haired young lady was obviously head over heels for Hachiman, that was plain for all in the room to see. The way her eyes would sparkle and twinkle each time Hachiman spoke her name, her cheeks which were flushed with both embarrassment and affection, there wasn't a thing about her that didn't scream that she was madly in love with the raven haired man sitting across from her and Meguri envied every single expression that Saika displayed.

"Ara? You and Hikigaya-kun must be quite close, Totsuka-chan!" Exclaimed the brunette suddenly as she flashed her a smile that had an edge of challenge to it, Saika returning it in full as she after turning to face her as Meguri cut her off in the middle of her sentence.

"Hachiman and I are best friends! I-Isn't that right, Hachiman...?" Replied Saika in a confident and slightly snide tone, though it returned to being meek and maidenly when it was directed towards the object of her affection.

"Uhh... A-Ahem, I just got a text from my sister, you two. Looks like she's home alone and hungry, so I'll be needing to leave a little early now." Answered Hachiman quickly as he showed the two the text that Komachi had sent him, internally breathing a sigh of relief when their eyes lost a tint of their edge with respect and adoration replacing it in Meguri's while Saika had a sullen and envious glint cross hers.

"You're quite the doting big brother, aren't you Hikigaya-kun? Your sister is a lucky girl."

"Uuu... I can't compete against Hachiman's little sister..."

Before he left, however, Hachiman called their newest server over to pay for their meal, the man ensuring that he packed his remains for later consumption in a safer environment. Watching as he chatted with the other man who was tending to them, Saika and Meguri had equally fond looks to them as they both sighed in an airy and somewhat dreamy manner, growing a tad pink when a rather handsome smirk crossed his face at a comment that they didn't catch from the server. Instantly, the two stiffened and exchanged glances once more, the eyes of the two narrowing slightly as they shared a silent agreement to talk after the man's departure. They were broken from their staring match when Hachiman finally rose from his seat, drawing slightly sullen faces from the two as he offered them a wry look for their current displeasure.

"Umm, I'll see you two some time later, then. Will you two be alright getting home? I can take the two of you if you need me to." Hachiman offered as they found their hearts beating just a skip faster, though they reluctantly beat down desire to take the man up on his offer as they had other matters to discuss in his absence.

Seeing them shake their heads in the negative, though the man could swear that they were shedding tears while giving him their answers, Hachiman nodded before bidding the two a farewell. Seeing him leave, Saika and Meguri let sighs leave them before they faced the other with serious looks to their faces, something that instantly caused their server to scurry away to safety least he be caught in the crossfire. As she was about to speak, Meguri was beaten to the punch by Saika, who spoke with such conviction that it momentarily stunned the university student.

"Hachiman is mine." Saika suddenly stated in a tone that held no room for argument, catching Meguri off guard as the older woman flinched slightly and blinked at the silver haired maiden.

"Ara? I didn't know that you and Hikigaya-kun were dating, Totsuka-chan. When did you two get together?" Asked Meguri in a tone that was overly shocked and surprised, though the knowing and snide glint to her eyes drew a serious and dark look on Saika's face.

"Shiromeguri-senpai, you look like a very nice girl, probably one of the nicest girls that I've seen. But there are already too many people that are after my Hachiman, I don't need another person pinning after him. And we're not dating, not until I confess to him on Monday." Saika said in a low tone as she leered at the brunette, Meguri merely smiling in turn as she moved to rest her cheek in the palm of her hand.

Silence quickly taking over, the two were deadlocked in a staring contest that no soul was brave enough to interrupt. Watching the entire exchange with a shaking body was their server, the poor man nervously clutching a to-go box for Saika and her leftovers. Wordlessly, he turned and shot a pleading and desperate look towards his coworkers as they quickly adverted their gazes and whistled innocently, swiftly finding and cleaning a mysterious set of messes that popped up across the restaurant. Seeing that he was abandoned by his comrades, the man sighed in resignation before timidly venturing towards the table, managing to hand Saika the box and a bag with a nervous smile before hightailing it out of the vicinity of the two.

"Well, it's been quite nice chatting with you, Totsuka-chan. I think I'll be going on ahead now. Ah, please tell Hikigaya-kun that it was wonderful to see him again! Actually, never mind, I'll tell him myself!" Chirped Meguri in a bright tone as Saika's expression darkened once more, clutching her to-go box a tad tightly as it easily crumpled under her grip.

Without waiting for a reply from the silver haired young lady, Meguri excused herself as she pulled out her phone, ensuring that Saika caught sight of the fact she was calling Hachiman before making it out of earshot of the younger woman. Watching her go with an emotionless face, Saika completely crushed the box that she was holding, a controlled anger and jealousy burning in her eyes before she forcibly calmed herself down. Taking a deep breath, she released it before repeating the breathing exercise a few more times until she was calm once again. Opening her eyes, the anger and jealousy faded to just embers of what they once were, Saika calmly asking her server for another box while contemplating her current situation.

"Yukinoshita-san, Yui-chan, Kawasaki-san, Ebina-san, even Sagami-san and Yumiko-san have been looking at him differently. Now there's a Shiromeguri-senpai too? Why? Why are there so many of them now? Hachiman is mine, he's always been mine, so why is everyone trying to get inbetween us..." Saika muttered in a distraught and dark tone of voice, her usual angelic disposition nowhere to be found as she moved to head home.

Saika always knew, she had always known that her soulmate was the dead-fish eyed, snarky but has a heart purer then an angel's, Hachiman Hikigaya. Everyone had always treated her differently, the boys acted like she was some goddess that wasn't supposed to be touched while the girls treated her with indifference or disdain. She was always in an awkward stage of physical development, neither too boyish or girlish, an androgynous physique that leaned just slightly towards the feminine side of the spectrum. Her boyish hobbies and likes didn't do much to help her case either, Saika never really finding skirts or dresses comfortable as they interfered with her playing tennis and felt too breezy for the silver haired maiden. Since her debut in middle school, she had always been in a state of having many acquaintances but not a single friend and that only worsened as she entered high school.

When she decided to embrace her more feminine charms in middle school, she was shunned by the girls for stealing the attention of the boys and wasn't approached by the boys as she was always 'too cute' to approach not to mention the risk of losing their friendship with the other girls in the class. She was lonely and isolated in middle school, surrounded by smiling faces that didn't dare move past that established line that would them true friends with her. After those agonizing years, she had pleaded with her parents to allow her to make her high school debut as a male student, something that not only brought such sorrowful expressions on the faces of her parents but guilty ones as well. As they were always weak against Saika's demands, as she very rarely made them, they had a meeting with the principal and facility before the year started and discussed the situation with them. While it was a strange and unheard of request, so long as Saika abided by a strict set of regulations concerning the locker rooms, restrooms and other gender specific locations there wouldn't be an immense issue with her masquerading as a male student.

It was during her tenure as a male student that Saika had finally met someone that she could consider a friend, through and through. During her introduction in her second year, Saika was already used to the stares that she never received in middle school, though they were haunting reminders of what may happen should anyone find out that she was actually a girl. But when she said that she was a boy, like her freshman year, almost instantly all of those envious and challenging stares from the girls were replaced with excited and coy expressions, the curious and shy looks from the boys shifted to those of disbelief and shock. It was a welcome change that caused Saika to smile a bit brighter, securing her place at the top of the rankings of 'people to protect' in her class. It was then that she finally saw him, the raised brow and suspicious glint to his eyes nearly caused her heart to stop. But instead of saying anything, Hachiman merely turned away and focused his attention on the world just past the window pane.

Did he find out that she was a girl? What would he make her do to keep her secret? Would he blackmail her? Those dark and fearful thoughts plagued Saika's mind like a itch that wouldn't fade no matter how long or hard one scratched at it. That moment she had made the decision to not involve herself with the man known as Hachiman Hikigaya. The rumors about the raven haired youth were already a heavy deterrent so seeing that he had seen through her lies, though the young man was entirely ignorant, drove Saika to live each day like it was her last. But those threats never came, no matter how long Saika waited. Each day, as she awaited his dreaded call-out, Saika found herself studying the man in earnest to detect a weakness. Before she knew it, the first year had passed and they were together once more in their second year. Again, Saika found herself silently observing Hachiman like she did in her freshman year, but this time she saw it. She saw the man hiding beneath the guise of a grumpy and standoffish loner, the angel who didn't have a negative bone in his body.

Imagine her shock when the boy she had thought of as wicked and evil was the exact opposite of that, being such a kind and warm soul that Saika was uttered ashamed that she had thought of him as a villain. Her shame and guilt knew no bounds as she longed for a chance to apologize to him, even though she knew that he wouldn't have a clue about what she was talking about. That moment finally came in the form of Yui Yuigahama, as the pink haired young lady having had forced herself into his bubble despite his best efforts to dissuade her. Once Saika had slipped into his bubble, she finally saw the kindness and warmth that he hid in the depths of his eyes firsthand. From him helping her with the tennis tournament, to Taishi's request, to the class trip; Saika found herself falling in love with Hachiman. Saika herself knew that Hachiman held some form of affection for her, the obvious way that he always blushed when she invaded his personal space, it was just too cute for Saika to not induce. But that's where the extent of her friendship with him ended, they were best friends and nothing more. No matter how much she longed for him to hold her, cuddle with her, flirt with her, kiss her; as long as she was a 'boy' in his mind, it wasn't to be. And that's why Saika had gathered the resolve to debut her final year of high school as a girl, as a girl who could and _would_ get together with Hachiman Hikigaya.

"I'm not waiting anymore, Hachiman. Monday, we're getting together on Monday." Saika whispered to herself as she tightened her hold on the bag that held her leftovers, her eyes burning with determination as she headed home.

With Meguri, the brunette was happily humming a tone as she waited for the young man she was calling to answer her. It was rather funny, if she was completely honest about the current situation involving Hachiman. To think that the anti-social and awkward young man, who had a heart of absolute gold and would willingly sacrifice himself to avoid letting someone else get hurt and thus tarnish his reputation, would have so many flowers on his side. She had to admit, the first time that she had heard Shizuka recommend him to her for help, she was skeptical of him. The rumors that floated around about him weren't flattering at all and, though she's still ashamed to admit it, his physical appearance didn't exactly exude reliance. Then came the whole situation with Minami Sagami, where the young man completely ruined any and all good faith that he had built up during the culture festival.

If she were to be completely honest, she was disappointment in the young man. After seeing how hard he worked despite his obvious displeasure to do so, the way that his eyes always gained an ember of kindness when someone reluctantly asked for his help, Meguri had unconsciously placed him on a higher pedestal and higher regard. To see him martyr himself, willingly, to have Minami avoid looking like the incompetent and pathetic person she actually was, it infuriated the brunette. Why? Why would he throw away everything that he had worked so hard for, through blood, sweat and tears, for someone who saw herself as his better, as someone who wouldn't even give him the time of day? Reluctantly, Meguri pushed the incident to the back of her mind, opting to focus on the future and crowning the next student council president.

In her search for a new candidate, one showed up in the form of Iroha, who was nominated as a prank from her peers. Though she wanted to help the freshman, her hands were tied as there weren't any other candidates. But then came the bruentte's brilliant plan to have the members of the Service Club help with their plight. And once again, the trio managed to not only solve Meguri's request, they managed to convince Iroha to assume the role. While it was her wish that the three of the Service Club members would all join the student council, the way that they handled the case brought about an ending that was somewhat bittersweet for the brunette.

"I was hoping that Yukinoshita-san was going to be the next president. Then, Yuigahama-san would be the vice-president, and Hikigaya-kun would be responsible for the general affairs. That way, after I graduated I could visit and play in the student council office, talk about how the Cultural Festival and the Athletics Festival were doing and see how Hikigaya-kun was holding up..." Whispered Meguri to herself as she heard the call go to voicemail, the brunette sighing somewhat wistfully as she softly lowered her phone.

She shouldn't have these feelings for Hachiman, not after judging him so harshly before seeing who the wonderful man beneath his rough exterior was. Meguri had prided herself on looking past the surface, seeing who someone was beneath their appearance before making a judgement call on whether or not they were kind or otherwise. But for the first time, Meguri doubted someone, she fell into and followed the shadows of the rumors that clung to Hachiman. She had been cordial, polite and acted like her usual self with him, but internally she was guarded and wary of him and those suspicious eyes of his. However, that changed as he kept surprising her again and again, building and breaking his reputation and social standing all in an effort to have others avoid being the targets of the madhouse that was the high school social circle. Then, it finally happened, the moment where he had timidly extended a hand towards her for help, something that touched Meguri's heart as she knew just how guarded the young man was. As she settled into tutoring him in math and science, she had begun to find that while he wasn't the most talented, he was among the hardest working students she had worked with.

"Ufufu, now that I think about it, couldn't all those times that we've met for his tutoring sessions be considered dates?" Meguri asked herself in a soft but giddy tone, smiling as she opened up her photo app and swiped through the photos that she had taken of Hachiman and herself.

"It's been a while since our last tutoring session, hasn't it Hikigaya-kun? Mmmm, I think you might need a refresher in biology and psychology." The brunette said to herself with a giggle, her eyes shining with a light that didn't seem to bode well for her raven haired student.

"Someone's talking about me..." Muttered Hachiman as he withdrew from covering his sneeze, sniffling slightly as he turned to look at his phone.

A grimace passing his face, he sullenly turned to look at his leftovers as the text that Komachi had sent him earlier still lingered in the back of his mind. Was Hachiman to act like the older brother that he was and offer the succulent delights he had to his precious imouto? Or was he to sate his own innermost desires and reserve them for himself? The dilemma left him rubbing the bridge of his node as a headache soon took hold of him, a tired sigh leaving him as he neared the train station. In the midst of his inner turmoil Hachiman bumped into someone, startling the young man as he snapped to stare at the person he had ran into.

"S-Sorry, I wasn't paying attention."

"M-My bad, I wasn't looking ahead!"

A vaguely familiar voice overlapping with his, Hachiman paused as he stared at the other man in front of him. He was a good-looking teenage boy with dyed-brown long hair with a black hairband, grey eyes and was currently dressed in much more casual clothes then the Sobu uniform that usually covered him. As for Kakeru Tobe, surprised would be a light way of expressing what seeing Hachiman at such an hour, the brunette looking around for the usual pair of accompanied him during his school-related outings.

"Yo, Hikitani! Fancy meeting you here!" Chirped Kakeru as he offered the other man a friendly wave, Hachiman internally sighing though he returned the greeting with a nod of his head.

"So, what're you doing round here? I thought that club activities didn't start til Monday? Man, it sure must be busy as heck in the Service Club! Luckily for the soccer club, we don't have actual practice til Friday, gotta get all the new members used to the schedule and all of that." Kakeru rambled on as he used his hands to emphasize and express his feelings about the whole situation, Hachiman feeling his spirits dampen the longer he heard the other man prattle on though he paused slightly when he saw something unusual in his hands.

"You were studying?" Suddenly asked Hachiman as Kakeru froze in the midst of his monologue, having an embarrassed and wry laugh leave him as he rubbed the back of his head.

"A-Ahaha, you're pretty sharp, aren't ya Hikitani?" Kakeru said somewhat weakly as he shot the man an equally weak look, Hachiman raising a brow as the normally energetic young man seemed almost embarrassed.

"You've got a study guide that I've used before." Stated Hachiman in a simple manner, Kakeru blinking as he glanced from the study guide to Hachiman.

"You've used a study guide, Hikitani? I thought that you were like Yukinoshita-san and just aced everything like it was nothing." Replied the brunette in a surprised tone, Hachiman feeling his brow twitch upon being compared to his raven haired clubmate but repressing it nonetheless.

"Tch, just for math and science. No one's born with smarts, though it may be true for the prince and Yukinoshita's family..." Hachiman muttered as Kakeru blinked before bursting out with a light fit of laughter, being much more natural and less boisterous then his usual chortles in class.

Calming down, Kakeru wiped his eye as a stray tear escaped in the midst of his laughter. A content sigh leaving him, he settled down and shot Hachiman a small half-smile, one that caused the raven haired man to pause and study it. Self-loathing, embarrassment, futility, failure, doubt; there was a complex mix of emotions in the eyes of the brunette.

"Haha, yeah, Hayato's got no trouble taking tests! That's something that really makes me jealous, I'd love to ace tests without having to try!" Complained Kakeru as he lamented his lack of innate test taking talents, though a tired sigh soon left him once his complaints died down.

"You could get him to help you study. Pretty sure your clique wouldn't have a problem with getting together for a study group." Hachiman threw out as he adjusted the bag in his hand, Kakeru chuckling dryly as he shook his head in the negative.

"I wish it was that easy, Hikitani. You're right that they wouldn't have a problem helping me, but I'd rather not have them helping me anymore. The last time that we had a study group together, during our final exams last year, Yumiko acted like she forgot half of what she had taught me, Ooka, and Yamato to have Hayato teach her. Ebina still acts like I'm going to confess to her, so she kind of avoids talking with me one on one. And Hayato... Ha... It's kind of complicated with him, it's been that way since the whole confession thing last year." Kakeru reported to the raven haired man across from him, Hachiman stiffening slightly at the memory of him ruining his confession on the behalf of Hina.

"Ah, don't worry about it, Hikitani! That was last year, I'm over it!" Chirped Kakeru upon spotting the anxious and uncomfortable look on Hachiman's face, the glasses wearing man losing a bit of his tension when he caught sight of the grin on his face.

"R-Right, if you say so..." Replied the man as they fell into a slightly awkward silence, Kakeru looking just as anxious as Hachiman as he looked around before spotting a vending machine nearby.

Motioning towards the other man with his head, Hachiman saw what Kakeru was implying as he nodded and moved towards it. The two taking a moment to buy a drink, they stood in silence while taking in the cloud-free, star filled sky. Hachiman shooting a glance towards Kakeru, he saw a hint of melancholy and somberness in the eyes of the taller man, Kakeru letting a soft sigh leave before taking a sip of his peach tea.

"Ya know, Hikitani... If I think about it now, maybe my folks were right when they said that I'm not gonna amount to anything." Kakeru suddenly said out of the blue, Hachiman shooting the man a look with a raised brow as a mirthless smile crossed the face of the brunette.

"You know that Sobu has a pretty hard entrance exam, the only reason that I managed to get in is because of my soccer coach's recommendation. When my folks found out, they were pretty excited and proud, even more then I was. I wasn't the best at school but I was pretty good at sports, though I was really good at soccer. I'd always thought that I'd be good enough to get onto the national team, that I'd ride out my high school life just like I did in middle school. But, guess I wasn't as good as I thought I was because man... Our team isn't bad, but it's not that good either, haha!" Kakeru laughed as he shook his head at the memory of last years final game, the bitter taste of defeat still lingering at the back of his mouth as he wiped a fake tear from his eye.

"During the break my folks finally had the 'talk' with me, asked me what I was going to do after I graduate. And you know what I told them, Hikitani?" Asked the brunette in a soft tone while he shot a look at Hachiman, seeing the other man shake his head in the negative as his smile grew much more solemn.

"Nothing. I told them I didn't know what I was going to do, or what I wanted to do. I was going to say that I'd go on to play soccer but then I remembered our record during the season. And damn... I don't think anything is gonna sting more then the look my parents gave me when I told them that. They just sighed and told me that they wished that I could've acted more like Hayato, haha!" Kakeru laughed hollowly as Hachiman closed his eyes in understanding, the familiar sting of tears beginning to line Kakeru's eyes as he quickly rubbed them away with a wipe of his hands.

"Haha, sorry, sorry! Don't know why this turned into a counseling session, Hikitani! It's just I haven't had a chance to get this off my chest you know, and you're a reliable guy!" Apologized Kakeru as he shot the raven haired man an equally apologetic look, Hachiman shaking his head in the negative as he waved off the man's concerns.

"It's my fault for not walking away while you were talking." Countered Hachiman in a tired tone as Kakeru flinched, though after his surprise came a fit of laughter that was much more eased then before.

"Ahaha! Right! Figures that you'd be fine with me complaining to you, Hikitani! Yui always said that you were a lot nicer then you look, and man was she right! No wonder she's so into you!" Laughed Kakeru as Hachiman choked on his coffee at the statement, the brunette snickering at the ravenette's coughing fit as he moved to pat him on the back.

"T-Tch! This is why I hate people like you..." Muttered the raven haired young man as Kakeru just snickered harder, passing Hachiman a tissue packet from his messenger bag.

"Sorry, sorry! My bad, Hikitani, didn't know that it'd be that bad!" Kakeru replied in a slight panic before innocently whistling to the side when glared at by Hachiman, the brunette honestly a bit intimidated by the other man's sudden spike in height.

"Whatever, I didn't drop my food so it's fine." Quipped the man as he recovered from his sudden near-death experience, Kakeru offering him another apologetic smile as they finished the contents of their drinks.

"Well, it was pretty cool talking with you, Hikitani! We gotta do this again something!" Chirped Kakeru as Hachiman sighed at the other man's seemingly boundless amount of energy, moving to toss his can into the recycle bin.

"Let's not hope it's anytime soon then." Hachiman added as Kakeru laughed while following his example and recycling his can, the two standing in a much more amiable silence as they made their way towards the main street.

"I'm heading this way." Stated Hachiman as they finally hit a crossroad, Kakeru nodding as his pointed his thumb in the opposite direction.

"Same here, going this way, Hikitani! Talk to you later then! I'll have to get your number some other time, you look like you're in a hurry!" Kakeru said with a grin on his face, Hachiman feeling a bit of his soul chip when he heard the man's proclamation.

"Sure, whatever you say."

"Haha, then later, Hikitani!"

Giving Hachiman a half-salute as he bid him farewell, Kakeru was about to turn when he caught the whispers of Hachiman's words as they were parting. Stiffening, he turned and was about to reply to the man only to see him already power-walking down the opposite street. Blinking, Kakeru felt a bit of the tension in his shoulders lessen as a content sigh left his mouth. His eyes began to sting again, but this time he willed those tears of warmth not to fall as he found someone who didn't judge or compare him to his friend, someone who the brunette hoped would accept the offer of friendship he'd be extending the next time they meet. Feeling refreshed and ready, Kakeru stretched before heading home with a bit more purpose to his steps

"No wonder Yui is so into you, Hikitani."

_"I can help with your Japanese, English and Humanities. And I don't know either.__"_

With Hachiman, the raven haired man was hurriedly heading home with his cheeks tinged a deep red, the parting words that he left for Kakeru doing nothing to help cool his embarrassed state. Why? Why did he have to blurt out those things in the head of the moment? Those were the words of a visual novel protagonist to the best friend character when they were feeling down in the dumps, so why did Hachiman go ahead and say them to someone who he barely spoke to, and would only do so reluctantly at that! Cursing himself to high hell, Hachiman blamed his frazzled mind due to the strange behavior of those closest to him. It would be fine it was just Komachi, seeing as his strengthened 'onii-chan instincts' designated that he dote on her more so then usual, but everyone around him seemed to be acting in a manner unfitting of their usual selves.

"Kami-sama... Is this still retribution for littering that one time?" Hachiman said to himself in a sullen tone, his head hanging low as he thought about way to garner good karma to offset his current negative balance.

Stopping at the station, the ravenette checked the time and saw that it was a five minute wait for the next train. Taking a leisurely look around, he paused when he saw a promotion on the window of the convince store across the street. Quickly, Hachiman made his way over and procured two of the newest promotional items, no doubt thinking of the smile of his little sister when he presented it to her. Cashing out as the all too familiar rumble of the train echoed in the distance, the raven haired man hurried back, arriving a minute before the train's arrival. Letting a somewhat tired breath leave him, he straightened himself out as he entered the train, finally taking a moment to simply relax and let his tension fade after the chaotic evening.

(Time Skip - Half an Hour Later)

(Scene Change - Hikigaya Household)

Arriving home, Hachiman saw that his parents were having a pleasant evening together watching a show in the living room. Kicking off his shoes, he grabbed the attention of the two when he announced himself while opening the door, instantly regretting it as he was latched onto by Kanami. Squawking in surprise and fright at the sudden iron-clad grip, Hachiman paled when he spotted his mother's glinting eyes as she practically dragged him to the couch were his father was sitting, having watched the entire exchange take place with a barely controlled laugh. Sitting him down, Kanami moved to grab his hand to keep him from running off, Hakuto finally letting a chuckle leave as he patted his son on the shoulder.

"You came back just in time, Hachi! I was just talking to your father about you and your date! Now, tell Kaa-chan all about it!" Demanded Kanami in a tone that made her seem like she was an elementary schooler, Hakuto easing his wife's demands as Hachiman grumbled softly beneath his breath.

"Now, now, honey; let Hachiman catch his breath first. He just got back so he must be tired if his date was all the way at the Sea Life Park." The man said jovially in an effort to help his son, though at the mention of the word 'date' it seemed that Kanami's pleas only grew louder and more pitiful.

"M-Mom, please cut it out! And dad, you're really not helping here!" Snapped the young man as crimson deeply colored his face, trying and failing to escape his mother's hold as the trio fell into an amiable scene of light hearted familial banter.

"Oh~? Is Onii-chan finally home from his date~?" Voiced the one person who Hachiman had pleaded that they'd never hear head or tail of his venture earlier, the older brother stiffening completely as Kanami started laughing a bit wryly while turning away to avoid her son's face.

"...You told her, didn't you..." Deadpanned Hachiman as he gave his mother an equally dead stare, the woman whistling innocently as she released her son and skittered over to hold onto her husband's arm.

Slowly strutting towards the top of the staircase, Komachi was dressed in her usual sleepwear with a sickly sweet smile on her face as she scanned the floor below her for the one person who she had currently wanted to see the most. Earlier, the young Hikigaya had foolishly believed her mother when she had said that her beloved older brother had ventured out to secure a delectable treat for her. Excited and strangely famished though she had just eaten fifteen minutes prior, Komachi sent him a text to both remind him and expedite the process of him returning home. As Komachi eagerly awaited him, she was skipping towards the kitchen for a drink when she heard her mother talking excitedly on the phone with her father. If it were normal conversation it wouldn't have affected the raven haired young lady, the youngest Hikigaya would have simply asked her mother to question her father if he was returning home yet. But it wasn't, not when Kanami was seemingly bursting at the seams to share news of her eldest's first steps into adulthood.

Once she heard the words 'Hachiman', 'date', 'girlfriend' and 'our little Hachi is going to leave us forever', Komachi stormed into the living room and plopped down right beside her mother. Freezing with a stiff smile on her face, Kanami silently began to sweat as Komachi simply stared at her in silence. Hakuto who had guessed what had happened quickly bid his beloved a farewell before fleeing, least he be caught and torn apart by his cute daughter as she would no doubt be seeking answers as to what she had overheard. Kanami quickly broke down and spilled the details about Hachiman's outing, the woman apologizing for deceiving her daughter as Komachi's current expression would have been considered a perfect copy of Kanami's own during business hours, the unamused and cold look fitting eerily perfect on the young Hikigaya's face. After learning of her brother's intended plans, all Komachi had to do was sit and wait for the perfect moment to strike, which happened to be where Hachiman currently found himself.

"Y-Yo, Komachi... I got you something..." Hachiman managed to say as he held up his peace offering, the young man wincing slightly when the gleam in his sister's eyes seemed to sharpen.

"Ah~! Thank you so much, Onii-chan~! Why don't you share it with Komachi in the kitchen~!" Komachi sang in that same sickly sweet tone, Hachiman having a shiver run up his spine as he snapped to look at his parents for any aid.

But alas, the young man was met with silence and betrayal as Kanami and Hakuto were preoccupied with watching a documentary of yellowfin tuna, intently gazing at the screen though sweat could be seen beading on their foreheads. His eye twitching at the two, he glanced at his sister from the corner of his eye and wished that he hadn't as her smile was gone, a serious and unreadable expression resting on her face as she pointed towards the kitchen. Seeing as he had no alternative, he let a sigh leave and followed his younger sister, the two finding a seat at the countertop. Setting his bag down, Hachiman pulled out the boxes of food as Komachi's facade cracked partially, her eyes lighting up as scanned the treats laid out before her. An audible gulp leaving her, Hachiman paused before an amused snort left him, Komachi flinching as she turned away and wiped away the tiny line of drool that leaked from her mouth.

"I'll go heat this up for you, Komachi." Hachiman said in a more eased tone, the knowledge that he was still able to placate his sister with food a comforting one as Komachi pouted slightly seeing as she lost her advantage.

Taking a moment to reheat his leftovers, Hachiman brought them back to the countertop where Komachi was waiting with shining eyes. Placing the food down, Komachi marveled at the pieces of food that her brother had brought back for her. When she heard from her mother that he was on a date, anger and jealousy were the first emotions that raged through her body. Anger at the fact that someone else was trying to take away time that he was supposed to be spending with her when he was already spread thin as it was, and jealousy as he had once again gone out with someone when he hadn't done the same with her. But seeing the food laid out before her, how the house salad and dressing were practically untouched, the clam soup seemed like it had only a couple of sips taken from it, the lobster motoyaki having only been half eaten, the kobe medallions having only had a few slices carved from it and the grilled asparagus still firm and not limp; it was clear to the young lady that her brother had rushed through his dinner and in turn his date to make it back to her, seeing as she had sent him that text not too long ago.

Seeing as there wasn't a reason for him to leave besides her text, Komachi completely unaware of the tense and awkward situation that Hachiman's date had devolved into, she grew a tad guilty and shameful. She had sent that text mostly in jest, though she was expecting her brother to bring her back something delicious, but to see that he had taken it so seriously it made the younger Hikigaya feel like she had stolen him away from his date. While it was a gleeful thought, it was also a shameful one as Komachi had always tried to be respectful of her brother's privacy and personal life. Why? Why had she been feeling so jealous and irritable since her high school debut? She had always teased him about finding a girlfriend, though now that she thought about him with some other girl on his side, his smiles reserved solely for her, it struck a painful chord deep inside of the ravenette's heart. Lost in her thoughts, Komachi was broken from them when she felt something warm brush against her lips. A squeak leaving her at the sudden feeling, she snapped to look at her brother with crimson burning her face, her heart hammering in her chest as she moved to touch her lips. But her worries, though a tiny portion of her heart was a bit sullen, were for naught as it was a piece of the kobe medallion that her brother had tried to feed her.

"Not hungry?" Asked Hachiman in a slightly worried tone, Komachi shaking her head in the negative as she leaned in to take the piece of kobe.

"Mmm! That's super tasty, Onii-chan!" Chirped Komachi with stars in her eyes, eagerly leaning in with her mouth open like a baby bird.

A smirk crossing Hachiman's face as he found her to be like a chick waiting to be fed, he happily obliged as he rhythmically slice and fed Komachi the remnants of his dinner. It was after a couple of slices that Komachi stopped letting Hachiman spoil her, instead flipping the script as she snatched the fork and knife held by the man and moved to feed him. Staring at her brother with eager eyes, Hachiman relented and accepted her feeding him, though there was a warm and loving glow to his eyes that simply took the young lady's breath away. Before long, the two were taking turns feeding each other, smiles on their faces as the frightening and frigid interrogation that Komachi and Hachiman had planned and envisioned faded like their food. The next conflict came in the form of their mother, Kanami having sneaked a glance at the two before spotting the slice of matcha tiramisu that Hachiman was actively hiding from everyone but himself when he carefully opened its container to check on it. Aghast that her son had brought home such a wondrous treat and had planned to eat it alone, the matriarch of the Hikigaya household stealthily and inconspicuously tiptoed towards the box that Hachiman had ever so carefully moved onto the chair beside him.

In the midst of enjoying their time together, Hachiman and Komachi were blissfully ignorant of the fact that their mother was hovering behind them, Kanami slowly making a move for the dessert. Just as she was inches for snagging the treat, her hand was grabbed by Hachiman, the young man turning to look at his mother with eyes that her coworkers would find unmistakable from her own. Catching his mother red handed, Hachiman felt his brow twitch when she laughed wryly and tried to explain herself to the man. Momentarily forgetting the fact that he was trying to hide the dessert from everyone but himself, Hachiman outed himself when he snatched the box before his mother could take it, the sight instantly drawing Komachi's attention as she tried to make a move for the box. Soon enough, a battle for the dessert took place with Hachiman trying to make a break for his room, Kanami and Komachi latching onto his wrists to prevent him from leaving. Falling into a three-way squabble, the trio were unaware of the man who wandered into the kitchen to check on the commotion, Hakuto sweatdropping slightly when he saw his family fighting over a slice of cake. Paying them no mind, he made his way over as Hachiman managed to break away from Komachi's grasp, the young man shooting a desperate look towards his father as the older man seemed to understand that look.

Quickly handing his father the box, Hachiman was glad that the elder Hikigaya could read between the lines as well as he did, the young man relaxing as he awaited his father's retreat from the kitchen. But to the horror of everyone present, Hakuto opened the box and helped himself to the treat inside. Watching the eldest Hikigaya eat the dessert that they had fought so desperately for, the trio slumped as Hakuto paid them no mind, the man making a mental note to pick up a whole cake for his family the next time he went out. While not the most ideal, he had defused the tense situation before it could grow out of proportion, the prize he was eating being an added benefit as far as he was concerned. Sighing defeatedly, Hachiman and Komachi trudged upstairs while Kanami jumped at her husband before he finished off the tiramisu. Turning in a listless manner, Komachi was about to head to her room and lament her loss only to pause when Hachiman held out a sakura matcha swirl chocolate bar. Surprise coloring her face, Komachi soon had a soft and loving expression grace her features, the youngest Hikigaya gently taking the offering before skipping over to her brother.

"I love you, Onii-chan." Whispered Komachi before she leaned up and placed a kiss on the cheek of her beloved brother, stunning Hachiman as beamed him an equally beautiful smile.

Heading to her room with a much more eased and elated skip to her step, Komachi left her brother standing alone with a somewhat dumb expression on his face. It wasn't enough that Komachi had just given him a kiss, her smile wasn't one that he had seen for quite some time. Staring blankly off into space, Hachiman forced himself to head to his room after a minute of standing still. With Komachi, the raven haired young lady could be seen with a blissful expression on her face as she rolled around on her bed. Never before had Komachi been so bold in showing her affections for her brother, but now that she had, it felt freeing and wonderful. Spending the next five minutes replaying the scene in her mind, Komachi finally managed to calm herself as she pulled the photo that she had swiped from her brother during their time in the kitchen, her mood dropping like a rock as she stared at the photo.

"At least it isn't that witch..." Muttered Komachi as she stared at the silver haired young lady in the photo, feeling that she had met the woman in the photo before.

"Komachi is sorry for what she did, Onii-chan, but this is for your own good." Whispered the raven haired young lady as she looked at her phone, staring with a hint of a certain dark emotion at the voicemails that remained hours after being received.

[_'Komachi-chan, w-what's this about Hikki dating someone!? W-Who is she?! I-Is she kind of really pretty! A-Am I as pretty as her? W-What does Hikki think!?' Ahh, I'm going to go crazy, Komachi-chan! W-When did he start dating her?! H-Hikki only leaves his house when he goes to school, which is six days a week from 8:45 am to 6:00 pm! On Sundays, he always goes walking at 8:30 am around the park nearby before taking a break half an hour later to buy a can of MAX Coffee which he always gets at the same vending machine! After that, he goes straight home unless I happen bump into him with Sable at 9:15am every other week, then we spend twenty five minutes together before he goes home! I know Hikki's schedule and he never goes off of it, ever! So please, please let me know! Hikki might be in danger!'_]

[_'S-Such uncouth behavior! Komachi-chan, you must tell me who this person is! I must warn them of the danger that will no doubt follow them should they decide to d-date Hikigaya-kun! I worry for her safety as he will no doubt release his pent up, wicked carnal desires on such a defenseless person and I refuse to ask him about something so personal! Honestly, what kind of naive, clueless, hopeless, crazy, stubborn, woman would fall for such a man? I would never even entertain the thought of having such a relationship with Hikigaya-kun, even if he was the last human male on earth! So please inform me of any further developments concerning him and this alleged woman who is deranged enough to find him attractive, even if he has touched up somewhat slightly over the break he is still far from what I would consider suitable for marriage, though his glasses do slightly help expose how charming his eyes are. A-Anyway, please remember keep me up to date with him!'_]

[_'Who cares who Hachiman is dating, Komachi-chan. I don't even think that they're dating, I mean, he hasn't told me that he's dating anyone! B-But, do you think you could ask him for me? J-Just so that I know to be proper around him! You know how some girls get, some get seriously jealous when they think that their b-boyfriend is flirting with some other girl behind their back! Not that I'm jealous or anything! I just don't think that he'd flirt behind my back! is all'_]

[_'Yahallo, Komachi-chan! It's your Iroha-neechan! Just checking in on Senpai because I heard that he's dating someone! Not that I really care or anything, I just need to know so that I don't bother him since I rely on him so much since he's always helping me, even when I don't ask for it! Haa, I really feel bad for his girlfriend, if he has one, since he's always asking if I'm okay, if I need help, about my love troubles, about everything really. Honestly, Senpai will make his girlfriend die of jealousy and heartbreak if she learns about how much he cares about me, what a troublesome Senpai, being so overly caring about his kohai even when he's dating someone. Well, anyway! Let your big sister know if he is dating anyone, okay? Her name, phone number, home address, photos, school, clubs, friends, hobbies; everything really, I need to make sure that she doesn't misunderstand me and Senpai's relationship!__'_]

[_'Komachi-chan, yahallo! Just checking in since I heard that Hachiman was dating someone! D-Do you happen to know who? I'm just curious because I saw him recently and he didn't look like he was dating anyone. S-Sorry if I sound pushy, I-I'm just a worried about him is all. He's my b-best friend, so I just want him to be as happy as possible, you want that too don't you? W-Well if you hear anything, please let me know, preferably before Monday if possible! T-Thanks!__'_]

"Vultures."

* * *

**And that's a wrap. Thanks for reading, stay awesome.**


	10. Chapter 10

"Yo." - Person Talking

"_Yo_." - Person Thinking

**And here is a sudden new chapter. Let's a go. **

* * *

Sitting on her bed, Komachi continued replaying the voicemails that were left for her by the many admirers her beloved and idiotic older brother had. An irritated sigh leaving her mouth, her eyes sharpened as she ran through a number of possible scenarios that would be playing out on Monday, when they returned to school. As she had promised, the youngest Hikigaya had started sprouting the tiniest of rumors about her brother possibly dating someone, the ravenette taking extra care in making them as ambiguous as possible. It had started with her friends, which they then spread to those in their own social circles, which then spread across the school's freshman and was now trickling upwards through the upperclassmen.

"Haa... Just need to play dumb and act suspicious of Onii-chan, as long as they don't see those photos everything should be fine..." Muttered the young lady as she fell backwards onto her pillow, playing on her phone only to stop and smile lovingly at a photo of Hachiman and herself from the year prior.

Falling onto memory lane, Komachi smiled and giggled as she swiped through the few but precious photos of her brother and herself. As for said brother, Hachiman was stepping out of the shower with a content sigh leaving him as he dried his hair. Pausing as he was about to settle down and begin Ruri's route, the young man decided to head downstairs and prep a special treat for his clubmates as it would officially be the start of their club activities the next day. Peace reigning over the Hikigaya household, that peace would soon be tested the following day, the start of the young man's senior year of romantic comedy which would prove to be as wrong as he would have expected, a climax of his final year of highschool.

(Time Skip - The Next Morning)

"Morning, Onii-chan~! What's for breakfast~?" A half-awake Komachi yawned as she sauntered into the kitchen, her nose twitching as a warm and comforting smell tickled her nose.

Salivating slightly, the youngest Hikigaya quickly woke from her sleepy state as she saw her brother finishing with wrapping up their bento. Her eyes scanning the room for the origin of the fluffy smell, they locked onto a cardboard pastry box and the small plate beside it. Hearing her question, Hachiman turned and shot her a tiny smirk when he took in her rather slovenly appearance.

"Decided to go with something different today, don't eat too much of it or you'll get a stomachache." Hachiman said in a warning tone as she skittered up to the counter, staring with quickly shining eyes at the delectable homemade melonpan.

"Waa~! It looks so good, Onii-chan! Thanks for the food!" Chirped Komachi as she pulled out her phone and snapped a photo of the pastry, taking a few snapshots before picking it up and taking a delicate bite.

A crisp outer shell soon gave way to a soft and savory interior, Komachi happily chewing on her breakfast. A few more bites soon exposed the treat that her beloved brother had hidden in the center of the pastry, a squeal of delight leaving the ravenette as she tasted the strawberry matcha cream inside. Watching her eating the breakfast he made with such happiness, Hachiman couldn't help but smile as he felt himself getting full just watching his sister eat. Spending a few extra minutes savoring her breakfast, the two were out of the house and heading towards their school, Hachiman carrying the pastry box while Komachi hummed while holding onto their bento.

"What's in the box, Onii-chan? It smells super good! Is it Komachi's after lunch dessert?" Asked the younger Hikigaya with unconcealed desire in her eyes, already imagining what delicious treat her brother had prepared for her.

"Heh, not quite, Komachi. I figured since it's the official start of club activities, I'd do something nice for the freshmen joining the Service Club. Even I need to look like a dependable senpai you know!" Hachiman answered in a sure and proud tone, though all that met him was a set of slightly dead eyes from his younger sister.

"I'm the only person who joined, Onii-chan." Deadpanned the young lady as her brother coughed somewhat awkwardly, Hachiman acting like he hadn't heard her as he focused his gaze straight ahead.

The two walking in an awkward silence, Komachi never having lost her somewhat dead looking eyes, they arrived at their school with the flow of other students. Shooting a quick glance at Komachi, Hachiman stopped her and secured his bento from the stack, the young man getting a slightly sullen look from his sister as he had stolen the chance of her seeing him as she had planned to deliver him his lunch. Bidding her a quick farewell, he made his way up the stairway as Komachi was soon joined by her peers, many of them offering her smiles and grins as they moved to caught up with the elusive ravenette.

"Hey-o, Machi! How was your weekend? You never came to hang out with us!"

"Ya-ha, Koma! I need all the details! I heard a certain someone got asked out by Ootori, so spill!"

"Yeah right! I heard that he has eyes for someone else! It was probably Sae just overreacting!"

"Nuh-uh! I've got proof in the form of a text, Yoshi!"

Falling into an early morning of banter and gossip, Komachi had a somewhat tired sigh leave her as her social life, love life rather, was brought up once again. Putting on her usual smile, though there was a twinge of tiredness to it, the group made their way to their class. Watching the raven haired beauty pass by, Ootori Itou was stunned as he was unable to pull his eyes away from the young lady. He only looked away once Komachi rounded the corner, a defeated and dejected sigh leaving him as his teammates patted him on the back in a laughing but comforting manner. With Hachiman, the raven haired youth entered his class with his baked goods in tow, mentally thanking his luck that he was once again in Shizuka's class as she was always pretty lenient when it came to bringing things from home so long as they weren't inappropriate.

"It'll also help that some of it's for her..." Muttered the man beneath his breath, knowing that the stomach of the titan-like woman was an unknown weakness of hers many didn't have the displeasure of finding out.

Settling at his desk, he was about to place the box beneath his chair only to pause as the very clear mental image of a certain ice queen chewing him out for 'serving them goods that have been tainted by the filth that would have no doubt filtered down from him, his chair and desk' struck his mind. Letting a sigh leave him, he pulled out his handkerchief as a place to rest those baked goods on, taking a moment to judge if it'd fit within his desk before throwing the idea out. Adjusting the position of the box, Hachiman was thankful that he was beside the window, the man pushing the box to the edge of the desk and having it rest securely against the windowsill. His most tedious task finished, until the actual explanation of what they were came, he opted to wait out the rest of the morning with reading.

"Hey, you guys smell that?"

"Yeah, smells really good! Like passing by the bakery!"

"Where's it coming from? Kenji, you bring donuts again?"

"No, not today. I think it's from that... Guy..."

"Geh! It's the class rep!"

"Shh! Don't you remember what he did to Sagami last year?!"

"Damn, I almost forgot about that... Him, huh?"

Murmurs and whispers beginning to float around the class as the scent of Hachiman's baked goods began to fill it, the eyes of those who were already in the room and just entering turned to look at the source of the enchanting smell. Confusion and bewilderment were the most prominent expressions on the faces of those who were staring at the young man, many unable to believe that it was the person behind a number of incidents the year prior who had brought such wonderful smelling treats. The name Hachiman Hikigaya was a well known one to the third and second year students, almost all of those in their final year knowing the name due to the infamous 'Culture Festival Fiasco' and his involvement at the center of it. Compared to how he looked like the year prior for those who had personally seen him, the current him was a completely different person in all fairness. Many would have, and some still do, likened him to a 'creeper' or 'freak' due to the way he looked; bad eyes, hunched back, unfriendly expression and revolting personality, so seeing the physical changes in him startled them. Could a person change so much during a single break? It was mind boggling to imagine it but the proof was set before their eyes, and said proof turned to shoot a rather intimidating glare at them for their stares. A few squeaks leaving the mouths of some, they snapped to look anywhere else but the person glaring at them, Hachiman feeling the twitch of a smirk cross his lips at their reaction.

_"Jiro-san did say that I have the looks of a no good punk.__" _Chuckled the man in his head, mentally shaking it as he returned to reading his book as the stares seemed to have stopped for the most part.

"Mmm? What's wrong?" Asked a certain fire queen as she entered and took her seat, Yumiko staring at her friends as they nervously darted their eyes at the young man beside the window.

"Hikio? Why? What happened?" Continued the blonde as a slight frown crossed her face, never having pictured the person that Yui chatted about and had helped her being a bully or delinquent.

"Oi, Hikio. What's going on? Why's everyone looking at you like you committed a crime or something?" Yumiko called out towards the young man in a slightly accusatory tone of voice, everyone snapping to stare at her with wide eyes at her absurd question.

"O-Oi, Yumi! I wouldn't pick a fight with that guy! Don't you remember last year, he's bad news!"

"Y-Yeah! Just forget about it, it was nothing important!"

"She's right! I-It's not something you need to get worked up about!"

Despite their pleas and requests, hearing her friends ask her not to get involved only fanned the protective flames that sparked in her heart. Straightening her back, she unleashed the full might of her aura as she marched up to the man who had frightened her friends. Calm and composed, though she was very clearly trying not to stomp her way up to him, Yumiko stood by his desk with her arms folded. Her small frown gradually grew deeper and larger as she was completely ignored by Hachiman, Yumiko feeling her brow twitch with anger when she saw him snort slightly as he seemed lost in his book. Finally having enough, she forcibly pushed his book down, though she was careful not to damage it in any way. Seeing her manicured and painted nails instantly raised red flags in Hachiman's mind, the man knowing that Saki wasn't one to paint her nails, Yui would either pull on his sleeve or complain loudly and Shizuka would just beat him over the head. Stiffly craning his neck, he put on his best annoyed look and had it deepen when Yumiko's own displeased look clashed with his.

"What do you want, Miura." Deadpanned the man in an equally annoyed tone, the corners of his lips twitching when her eyes seemed to light up even more at the statement.

"I've been waiting for you to turn your head the past two minutes, Hikio." The blonde shot back as Hachiman raised a brow in question, Yumiko gnashing her teeth slightly at his apathetic expression.

"I was asking you, why's everyone looking at you like you threatened them? I don't like it when people threaten my friends." Yumiko said as she crossed her arms, her frown having a tinge of disappointment color it as Hachiman furrowed his brows.

"Threaten? They were spouting nonsense and I just looked at them." Replied the man in an irate and slightly tired tone, Yumiko about to counter him only to pause when she recalled the rumors that were spread about the man behind his back last year.

"So that's what it was, huh. Well, I'll be sure to tell them what really happened, how's that sound Hikio?" Yumiko finally said as she let a satisfied sigh leave her, uncrossing her arms and placing them on her hips as she awaited his response.

"Sure, whatever you say, Miura." Answered the man in a lazy and uninterested tone, her temper flaring back up as she found his answer lacking in all regards.

Quickly, the two fell into a slight squabble with Yumiko snapping at Hachiman and his lack of tact while said Hachiman tried not to egg her on too much. While it seemed heated and frightening, there was a tiny hint of amusement in the eyes of the two, Yumiko's words and complaints growing less and less sharp while Hachiman eventually gave up on trying to correct the blonde and simply stuck to quick replies.

"-nd you just had to glare at them like that? Come'on, Hikio, you know that you look like a total delinquent, right? You could have just corrected them nicely, would that have killed you?" Sighed Yumiko in a tired tone, shaking her head as the man still proved to be a headache even after all they had been through.

"Right. Let me, the social outcast and loner, stand up and say 'oi, all of you are wrong and I'm innocent of all those false charges,' mhmm. Good idea, Miura." Droned the man as Yumiko's eyes seemed to spark, the blonde lashing out slamming her hand onto his desk as he jumped slightly at the sudden action.

"Ha?! Social outcast and loner?! Are you sure that you're talking about yourself, Hikio? If you are, I will hit you!" Chided the blonde as she seemed a tad more fired up then usual, Hachiman gulping slightly as she seemed to leer even closer to him.

"Number one, you're friends with Yui, so don't say that or you'll make her sad and me mad. Number two, social outcast and loner? Have you seen the people who want hang out with you? Even when you don't want to, they still do. And number three, if you're friends with me, how could you be either of those two things, huh? Are you saying I'm a social outcast and loner?! If you are, I really will hit you!" Yumiko snapped at him as she was face to face with him, her eyes aflame with a passionate blaze as his words were akin to an insult to her and Yui.

As she was about to go on another tirade, she paused when she saw the confusion, disbelief, curiosity and hint of caution that colored the eyes behind his glasses. Why was he looking at her like that? Like she was a stranger to him or someone who he wasn't on good terms with? Her temper cooling almost instantly, Yumiko took the moment and studied his eyes, finding that they were rather pretty when they weren't creepy looking. Was a year all it took for him to forget all of the help that he had given her? Sure, while they weren't best friends like Yui and herself, Yumiko considered Hachiman a friend, even if he did grate her nerves on a daily basis. So seeing him look at her like she was a stranger, it did hurt the blonde a bit, Yumiko having never been one who dealt with angry friends very well.

"Friends? You and me?" Asked the man in a disbelieving tone, his voice just low enough for the two of them to hear.

"Huh? Of course we're friends. We're not best friends or anything like that, but with the number of times you've helped me and the others, why wouldn't we at least be friends. Sure you're still kind of gross, creepy and a Hikio, and I'm still mad at you for confessing to Hina last year, but that's a whole nother can of worms for later. Speaking of which, you and Hina have been weird after that and she won't tell me why..." Yumiko said in a matter of fact tone, Hachiman staring at her with wide eyes as she began to ramble on about his confession to Ebina from the year prior.

Friends? Yumiko and himself? Friends? There wasn't a more contrasting statement that one could find then, Yumiko Miura and Hachiman Hikigaya are friends, if one did indeed try. Were they really friends if they never talked other then when exchanging a few scathing comments every now and again? For the life of him, Hachiman couldn't think of a reality where that was what made people friends, and if it were somehow true then he'd be the protagonist of a trashy romantic comedy. But just as he was trying to crack the code behind friendship and Yumiko continued to prattle on about him and his connection with her and her clique, their attention was drawn to a frigid gust of wind that seemed to appear out of nowhere. Turning their heads, Yumiko merely narrowed her eyes while Hachiman stiffened out of reflex as he prepared for a gut punch, Shizuka sneezing while gathering the day's lesson plans.

"Huh, I don't know why but I've suddenly got a really strong urge to punch Hikigaya right now..." Shizuka said to herself as she rubbed her nose, the woman smirking rather evilly as she picked up the stack and made her way to her class.

"Morning, Hachiman. Miura." Greeted Saki in a cool tone, flicking her eyes at Yumiko for just a second before focusing them on Hachiman.

"Yo, Saki.

"Kawaski."

Almost instantly, Yumiko's mood dropped like a stone when faced with Saki's terse greeting, the blonde's opinion of her falling even lower then it already was. The silverette acting as if Yumiko had vanished, she started talking in a much more amiable and warm manner with Hachiman, Yumiko feeling her brow twitch at the sight. But, the blonde soon noticed that Saki seemed unusually nervous for some reason, her eyes flicking towards the man' and the other girls in the room, including herself. After spending a few seconds watching the two ignore her, Yumiko was about to snap at them only to pause when the reason for the whole confrontation finally struck her as she sniffed at the air. Saki soon followed when as her panic over seeing Hachiman being harassed by the fire queen passed, the taller woman also taking a whiff of the air.

"What's in the box, Hikio! It smells great!"

"Mmm, smells like coffee... It smells nice..."

The two women were instantly smitten by the scent of the baked goods resting on Hachiman's desk, Saki already knowing how delectable they were while Yumiko was staring at the box with shining and expectant eyes. At their gazes, the hairs on the back of the man's neck stood on end, Hachiman not liking the look in the eyes of the two at all. But before they could venture a guess or demand something from the man, the cheerful and boisterous voice of Shizuka cut through the class, everyone else heading to their desks as she settled at her own. Offering her students a wide smile, Shizuka was about to ask them how their weekends were only to pause when the eyes of nearly everyone were on the one person she had least expected them to be on. Unbeknownst to her, ever since her brave march towards the man was announced seven minutes prior, all eyes were locked onto the scene of Hachiman and Yumiko, the two followed by Saki having completely tuned out those prying eyes as they were talking.

Seeing that she wasn't going to get an answer, or at least one that she would be satisfied with, she simply beamed a chilling smile at the man at the center of things. At that smile, Hachiman let a defeated sigh leave his mouth, bitterly turning to stare at the box on his desk as his efforts at being a reliable upperclassman and clubmate seemed to have backfired catastrophically. Without missing a beat, though Shizuka did feel a pang of sympathy seeing her favorite student so dejected, she started the class off light with some reading. Watching her students begin working, though some did so with a light groan, the raven haired woman let a smile grace her features as she scanned them. Her gaze once again settling onto Hachiman, the eyes of the woman flicking to the box beside him as surprise colored her grey orbs.

_"To think he brought something for the beginning of club activities... You really have started to change, Hikigaya... Or at least, Komachi-chan convinced you to."_

Shizuka thought to herself with a light chuckle, though it did turn a bit wry when she realized the possibility of the latter part of the statement being true.

Before long, though some felt it was an eternity, the ever reassuring chime of the school's bell sounded throughout its halls. Many rushed to pack up their supplies and make a break for the cafeteria to secure one of its prized egg, yakisoba or tonkatsu sandwiches, gather with their friends or race to their dining spots. As for Hachiman, the young man let out a yawn as he leisurely packed up his belongings while debating on where to dine, finally opting to pull out his bento have eat in the classroom. In the midst of pulling out his bento, he was approached by Yumiko and Saki, the two bearing differing but vaguely similar looks in their eyes as they were locked onto the box on his desk. Seeing their looks, a few beads of sweat formed on the man's face, already having a pretty clear idea as to what it was that they wanted.

"Hikio! Are you gonna to show me what's in the box or not?"

"What'd you decide to bake for, Hachiman? Something special happening today?"

Confronted by the two women, the glasses wearing youth let a weary sigh leave him as he moved to open the box for the two. Once open, the full scent of the treats inside drew deep gulps from the two as they stared with delight at the adorable looking cupcakes, having the appearance of tiny cups of coffee. Without missing a beat, Yumiko pulled out her phone and started taking pictures without even consulting owner of said treats, Saki having a bit more restraint though she was holding her phone with slightly shaky hands. Seeing that, he shot her a wry smile and a nod as she beamed a brighter one at him, mirroring Yumiko as the two snapped pictures to their hearts content.

_"Guess taking pics of food is just human nature.__.."_ Hachiman thought to himself as he admittedly did the same after finishing them in the morning, pulling away from his thoughts when he saw the two staring at the cupcakes with desire heavily coloring their eyes.

"...You two want one?" He finally said as they snapped to face him, eagerly nodding their heads as he mentally sighed at the quick reply.

"Really! Thanks a bunch, Hikio! See, if you were always this nice, no one would be afraid of you!"

"Thanks so much, Hachiman! I'll be sure to bake you something!"

Motioning for them to take a cupcake, he pulled out a packet of tissues and offered them to the two, the two ladies pulling a tissue and carefully using it to avoid touching any other cupcake besides the one they had picked out. Taking the treats out with an uncanny amount of dexterity and elegance, unable to control their smiles when they admired the treats in their full glory. They were tiny cupcakes an inch and a quarter tall, their wrapping resembling a tiny cup of coffee. A whipped cream frosting covering a rich brown cake base, caramel was drizzled across the top with a mini chocolate straw sticking out; it was something so artistic that it contrasted the man who had prepared them. Grabbing a chair, the two pulled it to his desk along with their lunches, Hachiman doing a double-take when he saw that they were sitting down to have lunch with him.

"You two don't have to feel obligated to eat with me. It's just a cupcake."

"Mmm, it's fine. I've been meaning to talk with you at some point, might as well do it now."

"We've been having lunch t-together for a while now, so it's fine."

With that, the man gave in as they settled in and brought out their lunches. Yumiko's lunch having been made by her mother, she shot a look at Hachiman and Saki's bento, her eyes widening when she saw all of the varied and tasty looking dishes that lined the bento. Unlike her own lunch, which was filled with things that she both loved and hated, the lunches of the two were sparkling with only things that look appetizing.

"Do your parents make your lunches too?"

"No, I've been trying to make lunch for my sister and I."

"I make my own."

While Yumiko was partially aware that Saki made her own lunches, the fact that Hachiman had been cooking for not just himself but his sister was a startling revelation to the blonde. As far as she could remember, from the year prior the young man had only eaten bread or something bought from the cafeteria. Hearing him say that he was making lunches for him and his sister brought the young man up a few notches in Yumiko's mind, the blonde nodding her head as she stared slightly scarily at the garlic miso chicken that was sitting proudly and boldly on the left side of Hachiman's bento. Noticing her staring, he heaved a mental sigh and slightly presented his lunch for the blonde to take a piece, Yumiko flushing slightly but offering him a grin as she eagerly took a piece of chicken for herself. Seeing that, Saki gained a complicated and slightly displeased expression as she turned towards Hachiman, her eyes gaining a bit of a demanding and jealous glint to them as he relented and mirrored the action to her as well.

"So, why did you want to eat with me again, Miura? I'm sure your clique is either down in the dumps or burning with jealousy if they know where you are."

"Hachiman is right. You don't need to eat with us."

"I already told you, Hikio, weren't you paying attention? It'll be fine, I told them already and they agreed. And is me being here bothering you, Kawasaki?"

If he was completely honest, Hachiman did indeed forget why she had decided to have lunch with him, her words going in one ear and out the other. While he was slightly worried about a misunderstanding and the possibility of rumors spreading, he choose to trust in Yumiko's words as she was the well known 'Fire Queen'. Saki on the other hand, she was locked with Miura in a glaring contest, the two women's already rocky relationship growing more turbulent as they faced each other. Why did they have to entertain the other person if Hachiman was the only one they wanted to speak to? Yumiko was never one to back down from a challenge, especially not from people who she felt were rude for no reason. The same could have been said for Saki as the silverette wasn't even phased by the heated glare sent her way, scoffing slightly as she returned to her lunch though a tiny twitch of her lips appeared when she tasted Hachiman's cooking.

"Oh, this chicken is really light, didn't you fry it?"

"Mmm? Ah no, I was broiling them on a wire rack since it helps keep the oil off of them, but it's a pain to clean so it might be better to just fry them. And if you add a bit of wasabi to it, it helps with making it taste more refreshing then oily. "

"Really? I need to try it sometime when I get home. What else did you add for the seasoning."

_"They're really just talking about cooking?__"_

Listening to the two talk about cooking rather then school related events, Yumiko found herself slightly envious of their conversation. It wasn't that she didn't enjoy her conversations with her friends, but they always revolved around things relating to the school or rounded back a topic that they had discussed previously. Just like eating the same thing over and over, talking about the same TV shows, make up, videos or school related events eventually grew tiresome and boring. So hearing the two talking about something that no one in her cliques were well versed in, even if she wasn't a heavily involved participant, helped eased some of that staleness that plagued Yumiko's heart.

"Do you two cook often? I wish I knew how to cook, I'm better then Yui but still! My family always say that they'd rather just microwave something or get takeout when I try! It's really kind of irritating and shocking to hear them say it to my face, you know? I think I'd be better at it if it didn't take so long cutting everything up and then cleaning it all after, I still don't know how my mom manages to do all of that with her work schedule and cleaning the house!"

"R-Right, uhh pretty often nowadays. I've been trying to get better at it."

"It's either me or my mom who cook."

The getting slightly heavy and awkward, Saki and Hachiman found themselves at a loss for words that they hadn't had much experience talking with Yumiko. They had talked with chatty people, Yui and Ebina included, but with Yumiko it was different as she was almost quite literally on a different level then the two. She was someone who stood on top of the social pyramid, a place that the two prayed and dared not venture towards, content with their current circle of friends. And as the one at the top Yumiko detected their discomfort, or apathy in the case of Saki, and grew silent and slightly irked. An awkward and tense silence taking over, Saki ignored it and continued to chat happily with Hachiman, the man gulping as he answered with quick replies as Yumiko's fiery gaze never left his person.

Unlike it usually did, Hachiman felt that the lunch period seemed to drag on, feeling instant relief when the bell chimed and the other students began to pool back in. Leaving his desk in a satisfied manner, Saki offered him a tiny wave while Yumiko continued to sit with her arms crossed, her irate expression having never faded. Stiffening at being the sole focal point of her attention, her eyes flashed slightly but faded as she snatched the cupcake that she had failed to eat during their lunch break unlike Saki who thoroughly enjoyed it and offered her compliments to the man. Stomping back to her desk, her friends instantly swarmed her and began to interrogate her as to why she decided to have lunch with Hachiman, Yumiko feeling a headache beginning to cross her as she endured their questions. Ignoring them for a second, she finally took a bite of the cupcake and almost felt all of her worries fade, her eyes sparkling as she snapped to stare at the tiny treat.

_"Wow... Hikio really does know how to cook! Maybe he'd help teach me how to make this...__"_ Thought the blonde to herself in a increasingly excited tone, turning to stare at Hachiman and hold up the cupcake towards him with a grin on her face.

Seeing that, the man sighed as the moods of women seemed to sway back and forth like a swing, returning her grin with a wry smile of his own. Behind the two, Saki felt her own mood drop when she saw them, her petty anger drawing a twinge of pink to her cheeks as she did know that she was stepping slightly out of her established boundaries by acting like she was his girlfriend. But to the silver haired young lady, she felt that time was running out, especially since she heard from Taishi that Hachiman had a secret girlfriend that no one knew about. When? Just when did he find the time to get together with someone? Saki was almost one hundred percent sure that he wasn't dating anyone, that it was a rumor that was spread to ensure that he remained single.

_"I want to ask him but it's just so embarrassing! Maybe I'll ask Taishi to ask Komachi-chan... Or maybe Keika can get it out of him... Ah! Yes! That's it! I'll have Kei-chan call him, there's no way that he'll say no to her!"_ Saki thought to herself with an increasing amount of self-confidence growing in her, clenching her fists as a determined light shone in her eyes.

While it seemed to drag on for one and pass quickly for others, the school day finally ended as Shizuka finished writing the assignments due the next day. Flashing a smile and a wave to the students who bid her farewell, the raven haired woman kept an eye on Hachiman as Saki bid him a quick farewell to enact her plan, Yumiko surprisingly offering him a smile and wave as she left with her clique. Wary eyes lingered on the man as the friends of the blonde were extremely dubious about their relationship, mentally making a mental note to ask about the exact nature of how the two were connected. A soft chuckle leaving her, Shizuka strutted up to the man, flashing him her usual grin as he returned it with a tired look of his own.

"Quite the day huh, Hikigaya?"

"Haa... I don't think I'm cut out for all of this social interacting..."

"Nonsense! You're almost a completely different person! If it weren't for those eyes of yours and that rotten personality, I'd have thought you were a different person!"

"Tch. Come'on, sensei, the longer we wait here the worse I'm going to get it by the others..."

A bit of light banter between the two following them as they left the classroom, Shizuka felt slightly mortified that her heart was seemingly fluttering about as they chatted about everyday things. Ever since his declaration that he didn't mind having a relationship with her as long as she was fine with him from the week prior, the raven haired woman was growing increasingly self-conscious around the young man. She had adamantly drawn a fine line between her personal and work life, but with Hachiman it seemed like that line was beginning to blur slightly, something that both terrified and excited her if she was completely honest. A situation ripped straight out of a manga, the forbidden relationship between a teacher and student that would test the love of the two against the throes of society.

"-hat reminds me, Hikigaya. You'll be excused from the Service Club once a week on Fridays since you and Yumiko will have to attend the meetings with the other class reps. If you need anything just let me know, as far as I know, those meetings will only last half an hour to an hour tops so if you still want to, you can return to the club or go home if it's something related to your duties."

"Hmm... Do you know when they're expecting to plan for the festivals this year? I think I'm going to be sick those days, sensei."

"Ha! Come'on, Hikigaya! You've got a grand opportunity to live out your final year in a youth filled fashion!"

"I'd rather live it out in a quiet and dull fashion though..."

Sighing at the man's statement, they continued with light chatter as they stopped in the special building, pausing from entering the room as a number of slightly panicked voices could be heard talking inside. Hearing a few of the complaints and worries being spoken about, Shizuka raised a brow and turned to look at the person beside her, Hachiman having an apathetic expression as the rumors seemed to have nothing to do with him.

"-eard that from the first year students! I don't know what to think!"

"-ossible. There's no merit in those rumors. As far as I'm concerned its just slander and false information."

"-machi heard them from the girls in my class, too! Honestly, it makes me so mad!"

"-eally is a pitiful senpai. Ha, just let them come and go, these things always happen. Remember last year with Hayama-senpai and Yumiko-senpai?"

A cough startled everyone in the room as they jumped and snapped to its source, growing embarrassed and slightly red when the blank face of Hachiman was staring straight at them. Shizuka had a slightly frown on her face as she instantly had a pretty good idea as to who they were talking about, her eyes darting to Hachiman before focusing on the four stirring slightly in their seats. But, Hachiman opted to ignore the atmosphere as he made his way to his seat, sitting down before putting the box of baked goods onto the table. Eyes were drawn to the box as Komachi's eyes sparkled immediately, happily scooting closer to her brother to the envy of the others as she leaned onto him in a needy and pitiful manner.

"Onii-chan, your Komachi is so hungry~! I think she almost fainted from lack of delicious sweets made by her Onii-chan~" Moaned the raven haired young lady as she stared up at him with wide and pleading eyes, Hachiman snorting as he moved to ruffle her hair as a content sigh left her as she basked in his warmth.

"It's not much, but I figured that since it's officially the first day of club activities, I'd do something to celebrate it. Help yourselves, it's actually pretty good." Hachiman said as he opened the box, the day having dulled the scent but the ladies growing excited nonetheless as a wondrous aroma wafted about.

Gasps and squeals leaving the ladies when they laid eyes on the baked goods, they pulled out their phones and began taking photos of the cupcakes in earnest. Even Shizuka wasn't spared as she had a wide grin on her face, taking a selfie with her cupcake and posting it to her social media page with a bit of a smug title stating that one of her beloved students had baked it for her. Spending a few minutes taking pictures, the five finally decided to indulge in the sweets, a content sigh leaving them as they took their first bites.

"Mmm! This is super good, Hikki! You could open a bakery with this as the star item!"

"I must agree with Yuigahama-san. Despite your dubious and suspicious looks, your skills in the culinary arts exceeds all expectations anyone could possibly have for you."

"Senpai~! Why haven't you made these for me before!? I bet you only make these for Komachi-chan, don't you!"

"Mhmm! Onii-chan bakes for Komachi anytime she asks for it! Cause Komachi is Onii-chan's number one!"

"Haha, I didn't expect you to be so gifted in baking, Hikigaya! You should vie for a bake stand for this year when you and Yumiko ask for suggestions for what the class is going to do for the festivals!"

Laughter and chatter filling the room, it was a warm and amiable atmosphere as even Yukino had a beautiful smile on her face, her face tinged pink as she secretly stared at the man who had once again managed to make her heart skip a beat or three. No matter how much she had wanted to praise him, she always had to add a jab to ensure that he didn't overinflate his ego. Yukino was sure that he understood the true intentions that laid in her words, because he was the only one who truly understood who she really was, he was the only one. Yui was beginning to chip away at her defenses, the two having grown considerably closer over the course of their meeting from last year, close enough to share a few secrets with each other. But it was different with Hachiman, Yukino, she felt safe with him, she felt like she didn't have to put on an act and be who she truly was when they were together.

"This flavor, is it MAX Coffee, Hikigaya-kun?"

"Heh, so you noticed huh? It wouldn't taste good if it was anything other then MAX."

"Hmm, while I do find the overly sugary and taste MAX to be deplorable, you've managed to draw out a more mild and lovely flavor. Thank you."

A brighter smile blooming on her face at his praise, she continued to nibble on the treat to prolong her enjoyment of it. Watching the pair with sets of jealous eyes, Yui and Iroha bit back the disappointment they had as they were unfamiliar with the line of coffee used, opting more for frappuccinos if they were to get coffee instead of a fruity drink or tea. Komachi knew that it was MAX but let Yukino have her moment, the fact that she was practically glued to her brother adding to her content mood. As they were eating and chatting, Shizuka finally began the club's meeting, listing out the duties of the club, its restrictions, expectations and other relevant information for its newest member, Komachi, to understand. Having been exposed to a few minor cases from the last, Komachi already had a simple understanding of what they were doing, nodding her head as Shizuka warned them of not taking any requests that involved things that laid over their heads. While she was writing on the whiteboard, there was a knock on the door that drew the attention of everyone present.

"Oh, looks like there's your first request everyone! Come in!" Called out Shizuka as everyone straightened out their appearances, brushing away stray crumbs and wiping their mouths.

The door opening, a beautiful and slightly familiar figure stepped into the room as Hachiman instantly stiffened at the sight of the silver haired woman. Pink tinging her cheeks, Saika entered the club room with a nervous expression on her face, though she relaxed and offered a bright smile and cute wave towards Hachiman. Instantly the temperature of the room dropped, Hachiman feeling a chill run up his spine as he forced himself not to meet the eyes of his clubmates. Making her way over, Saika took a seat across from the man as the eyes of the others slowly drifted towards her. While she was panicking inside at their icy and sharp stares, just staring into the eyes of the person who held her heart helped calm her nerves, Saika having a much more eased smile grace her face as she focused entirely on Hachiman.

"Hello, welcome to the Service Club. I'm the club president, Yukino Yukinoshita, may we ask who you are and the content and nature of your request?" Yukino started as she maintained a professional and collected demeanor, contrasting the raging tide of emotions filling her.

"Ah! I-I'm not here for a request, Yukinoshita-san! I-I'm just here to say hello and talk with Hachiman! I-I've got something important that I need to tell him." Saika said with a slightly shy smile, turning to look at the raven haired beauty before returning to look at Hachiman.

"Wait a second... T-Totsuka-senpai!?"

"W-What?! S-Sai-chan!? Is that you, Sai-chan?!"

"T-Totsuka-san!?"

"H-Huh!? But isn't Totsuka-senpai a boy!?"

A squeak leaving her mouth as she was swarmed by Yui, Komachi and Iroha, Saika looked towards Hachiman for help as the man stiffened at her pleading and teary look. Standing, he helped break the trio from crowding the woman, gaining dubious looks from the others as they awaited Saika's explanation. Seeing that she had taken the first steps, Saika took a breath to calm herself and clutched the edge of Hachiman's sleeve, the others bristling slightly at the action. Seemingly gaining courage and strength from the man she held affections for, Saika explained her situation and ensured that there weren't any misunderstandings between her and the others. Slowly, she coaxed the others into believing her, Shizuka vouching for her as she was awake of her situation from the year prior. Spending fifteen minutes explaining and answering questions, the air wasn't as awkward as it was before, but there was definitely a tension that wasn't present before.

"U-Umm, Hachiman? D-Do you have time after this? I-I have something important that I want to talk with you about." Saika asked the man as he gulped at her tone, Komachi finally having enough as she interjected herself between the two.

"Sorry, Totsuka-senpai! My Gomi-chan promised to go shopping with his dear Komachi! Isn't that right, Gomi-chan!" Komachi apologized as she snaked both her arms around his free arm, pressing herself deeply into him as she held her hand out in an equally apologetic gesture.

"Club hours aren't over yet, Komachi-san. We still have an hour and a half left." Yukino added as she leered at Hachiman with an icy set of eyes, the man finding himself sighing as the situation he found himself in was the furthest thing he wanted to be a part of.

"W-Well why don't you sit and chat with us, Sai-chan! Umm, we haven't talked since last year, so let's catch up!" Suggested Yui as she tried to defuse the situation, mirroring Hachiman's sigh as the silver haired young lady meekly nodded her head and moved a chair to sit beside Hahciman.

Yukino offering her a cup of tea, Saika thanked her as silence reigned over the classroom. Only the sound of breathing, nibbling on snack and the sipping of drinks echoed through its walls, all eyes on the newcomer as she wriggled in her seat. Watching them all, Shizuka had an heavily amused expression on her face as took another bite of her cupcake, enjoying the soap opera-like scene unfolding in front of her. With no one taking a chance to break the ice, the club advisor was about to take over when there was a gentle knock on the door. The sound startling everyone, Yukino coughed as she regained her composure before calling out for the newcomer to enter. Instantly, the color drained from Hachiman's face while Komachi's eyes seemed to dilate as her hands clenched tightly into a set of fists.

"H-Hello! I think I've got the right place! Haha, I'm looking for someone named Hachiman Hikigaya? A teacher told me that he's a part of this club." A fluffy haired brunette asked as she stood in the doorway with a slightly embarrassed grin on her face, her eyes scanning the room before locking onto Hachiman's stiff form.

"Yo, Hikigaya! Geez, you really aren't someone who's easy to find you know! I spent the last twenty minutes just trying to find someone who knew you!" Kaori said with a laughing tone as she strode into the room after closing the door, waving at Hachiman as even Shizuka choked on the cupcake that she was finishing off.

The brunette taking a seat, she beamed a grin at the man as Hachiman did his best to avoid looking any more distraught then he already did, Kaori growing a bit concerned when she saw how pale his face was. Leaning over the desk, she placed her hand on his forehead to test his temperature as he flinched and leaned back from her hand. Blinking at him, Kaori was a bit surprised by his retreat before scoffing a bit as a light fit of laughter left her.

"Pfft! What was that, Hikigaya! Hilarious!" Giggled the fluffy haired young lady as she sat back down, Kaori having decided to spare the man from any further torment if the glares being sent her way was anything to go off on.

"...Did you have any business with Hikigaya-kun?" Yukino finally said after watching the brunette interact with Hachiman, her face calm while her grip on her cup of tea was crushing.

"Ah, it's nothing important! I was going to text him but a friend of mine wanted to come to your school to try her luck at confessing to someone who goes here, so I decided to drop by and surprise him! So, surprised Hikigaya?" Answered Kaori with the same grin on her face, doing her best a tignoring the burning looks that were starting to prick her skin.

_"Just what is going on!? Why is Hikigaya surrounded by so many pretty girls?! I know a few of them because I saw them last year, but it's that silver hair and the one clinging to him that's driving me nuts! Who is she to hang onto him like that?!" _Screamed the brunette in her mind, Kaori carrying on the one-sided conversation as if nothing was bothering her in the slightest.

Confusion, envy, frustration, fear, horror; there wasn't a proper expression of emotion that could describe the chaos that gripped the Service Club and those inside it.

"H-Haha... N-Nice to meet you, Kaori-san! I'm Yui Yuigahama, one of Hikki's friends! I hope he hasn't been too much of a big dummy like he usually is." Yui was trying to smile though her eyes were anything but friendly, a dull and rather frightening look to them as she tried to get to know Kaori.

"Yukino Yukinoshita, Orimoto-san. I apologize if Hikigaya-kun has caused you any problems." Yukino smiled in her usual manner, though the frigid aura that was billowing from her caused even Shizuka to shiver slightly.

"Yahallo, Orimoto-san! I'm Iroha Isshiki! Thanks for taking care of Senpai for me! Ha, I swear, my senpai always gets himself into trouble, so I can't ever keep my eyes off of him!" Iroha lamented after brightly greeting the brunette, her smile and eyes having a challenging glint to them as she scanned the brunette from head to toe.

Komachi and Saika chose to remain silent, though they were both glaring at Kaori for differing reasons. The brunette knew why the silver haired girl was glaring at her, and she shot a glare back as she had interrupted the date between Hachiman and herself. What she didn't understand was why the girl clinging onto Hachiman was staring at her like she was looking at something lower then dirt in her eyes and it really unnerved the brunette. There was something wrong with how cold and angry her eyes were, as if Kaori had committed a heinous crime like kicking a puppy or slapping a kitten. How could she look at her like that when they've never met before? Then came a thought that nearly cause Kaori to faint when she started to piece it together, growing slightly pale when she alternated to look between the two.

_"Wait... Wait, wait, wait! T-There's only one reason she's looking at me like that! S-She's Hikigaya's girlfriend, right!? There's no other reason why she's acting like I'm some thieving cat and looking at me like I'm going to be stealing away something that belongs to her!__" _Shouted Kaori in her mind as her knees grew a bit wobbly, Hachiman's eyes flashing with a hint of concern as he stiffly rose and moved to offer her a chair.

As he pulled out a chair for her to sit on, offering her a cup of tea as well, the door to the room was slammed open as a pair of men stomped inside in a panicked state. Standing there panting as they had their hands on their knees, though the taller man seemed a bit better then the shorter man beside him, they took a moment to collect themselves before raising their heads to stare at Hachiman.

"Hikitani! I heard you got a girlfriend! We need to go celebrate, man! I knew you had someone, haha!"

"Hachiman, my friend! Have you truly betrayed me and ascended the stairway towards the path of the raiju!?"

Kakeru and Yoshiteru were bearing contrasting expressions while staring at the man in the center of the room, Kakeru having his usual wide and bright grin while Yoshiteru looked like he had just been left to die by the wayside. With their words having been shouted in the midst of a silent room, the echoes of their words bounced about the building's halls. When they failed to hear a reply, they froze when they finally took notice of the others in the room, a cold sweat breaking out on their bodies as the disconcerting and frightening looks on the faces of the girls in the room were far too much for them to bear. Even Kakeru who had more experience when it came to dealing girls and their anger found himself praying for Hayama or anyone to save him, Yoshiteru having practically short circuited having taken in the presence of the girls.

"H-Haha... W-Well looks like you're busy, Hikitani! W-We can celebrate and talk some other time! S-See ya!"

"E-Excuse me!"

Swiftly turning around, the two were about to make a break for freedom only to have a set of hands grab onto their wrists. A shiver running down the spines of the two, Kakeru and Yoshiteru were dragged into the room as the door was shut once more. Pulling out a set of chairs for the two, they were sit down and presented with a set of smiles that bore no warmth or light, Kakeru and Yoshiteru turning and shedding tears as they realized that racing the other to the clubroom was the worst possible start of their final year of highschool. Yui and Komachi putting together a temporary 'closed' sign, the others sat the three men on the opposite side of the table while the ladies took the other, frigid smiles on their faces as Shizuka let out a tired sigh at the scene playing out before her.

_"I swear... It's like I'm watching something written by Hasemi or Akamatsu..."_

* * *

**And that's a wrap. Thanks for reading, stay awesome.**


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